Timeless
by KrystalFlare
Summary: People say that when life gives you lemons you should make lemonade... but what the hell should you do when life gives you a mischievous, manipulative, dominant god? Follow Kara as she tries to figure out the answer to that question, all the while attempting to keep said god from tearing her life apart and remolding it by his own design.
1. Prologue

How ya doin' my lovely readers? I hope you're enjoying the summer :D

As promised, I'm starting to upload this story now although I can't promise a steady stream of uploads. For those of you who haven't done it yet, check my profile for more information on this story. It's gonna be a HUGE thing so it's gonna take me some time to get through it. But for now just enjoy~

And do toss me a review, if you would... I feed on them and they're a GREAT boost for my imagination and my desire to keep putting effort into a story :D

P.S. Every _Thor/The Avengers/Thor: The Dark World_ character belongs to the wonderful Marvel. I own nothing, except my OCs :)

* * *

**Prologue**

_System online..._

**Access S.H.I.E.L.D. archives: Agent files**

_Requesting password..._

**callmeishmael**

_Password accepted..._

_Welcome, Director..._

**Access file № 354193**

_Pending..._

_Pending..._

_Pending..._

_File found..._

**Explore file**

_Access denied..._

_Warning..._

_File is registered as _private_..._

**Overwrite access... Fury, Nicholas Joseph**

_Pending..._

_Pending..._

_Access granted..._

_Opening file..._

_Playing audio recording..._

_**Hi there... my name is Kara Taylor. Yes, it's not a common name; if I recall right, he said it's of Viking origin. Oh, what it means? The untamed one... pretty cool, right? Come to think of it, maybe that's why he liked it so much from the beginning. Who's **_he_**? Well I'll tell you; let's take it from the top, when he first showed up...**_

_Audio recording stopped..._

_Closing file..._

_Closing archives..._

_Have a good day, Director..._

OoOoO

_System online..._

**Access S.H.I.E.L.D. archives: Agent files**

_Requesting password..._

**callmeishmael**

_Password accepted..._

_Welcome, Director..._

**Access file № 354193**

_Pending..._

_Pending..._

_Pending..._

_File found..._

**Explore file**

_Access denied..._

_Warning..._

_File is registered as _private_..._

**Overwrite access... Fury, Nicholas Joseph**

_Pending..._

_Pending..._

_Access granted..._

_Opening file..._

_Playing audio recording..._

_**Hi there... my name is Kara Taylor. Yes, it's not a common name; if I recall right, he said it's of Viking origin. Oh, what it means? The untamed one... pretty cool, right? Come to think of it...**_

_Audio recording stopped..._

_Closing file..._

_Closing archives..._

_Have a good day, Director..._

OoOoO

_System online..._

**Access S.H.I.E.L.D. archives: Agent files**

_Requesting password..._

**callmeishmael**

_Password accepted..._

_Welcome, Director..._

**Access file № 354193**

_Pending..._

_Pending..._

_Pending..._

_File found..._

**Explore file**

_Access denied..._

_Warning..._

_File is registered as _private_..._

**Overwrite access... Fury, Nicholas Joseph**

_Pending..._

_Pending..._

_Access granted..._

_Opening file..._

_Playing audio recording..._

_**Hi there... my name is Kara Taylor. Yes, it's not a common name; if I recall right, he said it's of Viking origin. Oh, what it means? The untamed...**_

_Audio recording stopped..._

_Closing file..._

_Closing archives..._

_Have a good day, Director..._

OoOoO

_System online..._

**Access S.H.I.E.L.D. archives: Agent files**

_Requesting password..._

**callmeishmael**

_Password accepted..._

_Welcome, Director..._

**Access file № 354193**

_Pending..._

_Pending..._

_Pending..._

_File found..._

**Explore file**

_Access denied..._

_Warning..._

_File is registered as _private_..._

**Overwrite access... Fury, Nicholas Joseph**

_Pending..._

_Pending..._

_Access granted..._

_Opening file..._

_Playing audio recording..._

_**Hi there... my name is Kara Taylor...**_

_Audio recording stopped..._

_Closing file..._

_Closing archives..._

_Have a good day, Director..._

OoOoO

For what was probably the thousandth time in those few days, Fury found himself unable to carry on listening to the cheerful female voice recorded in that file. Each and every single time he tried, his throat twisted in a painful knot, and the one eye he still had stung in a way he didn't feel too often, warning him of oncoming tears; his jaw clenched and his heart contorted painfully within his chest.

Raising his gaze from the touch screen set onto his desk, he glanced to a small picture framed in oak wood. Steely blue eyes returned his glance, set upon the smiling expression of a girl, apparently no older than her twenties; the very girl in the recording; the girl whose face and voice still haunted him. Never... never had the death of an agent affected him to such an extent as hers had. Granted, no other agent had been as a child to him either.

Leaning back into his chair, he closed his eye with a heavy sigh. And as it happened each time he allowed that darkness to fall upon him, his mind began replaying the events of that fateful day; people running in disarray like scared sheep... the screams... the blood... even the smell of smoke and death intertwined in the air. And in the midst of all that the Avengers... no... _his_ Avengers, scattered about in a desperate attempt to once again save the world they all shared.

It hadn't been until the end of the battle... although he easily could have called it _war_... that agent Romanoff had contacted him with the news that she was dead. No... not just dead... she hadn't just been killed in battle; she had _sacrificed herself_ for that... _guy_...

Now, Fury considered himself an open-minded person... he wasn't one to judge people by appearances. Heck, he was probably one of the most tolerant people in S.H.I.E.L.D. when it came to things like cultural customs or religion. But he would be damned if he had ever understood just what Kara had seen in that... that _what_? They had called him many things over time; Rogers called him a murderer... Stark and Romanoff called him a monster... Barton called him a manipulative bastard... Banner called him an insane wreck... and Thor... well, Thor still called him _brother_ even after all the things he had seen done at the hands of that...

But _what_ was he really? A man? A god? A demon? Fury still had no answer of his own to that question...

He had asked Kara, actually, to tell him what that... being... was; or what she believed he was. Even now he could so perfectly picture in his mind her warm smile and that gaze he never knew how to read; he could still hear the particular shade of softness in her tone, the one she apparently reserved for that male alone. And her answer had left him quite baffled...

_"Loki... he's just Loki."_


	2. Entry 1

Oh my God, you guys... you are **AMAZING!** The sheer amount of views and favorites and followers this story got for just a prologue is... astonishing and mind blowing. I am SO baffled and humbled by the love you're already showing for this story, because it's the first time that ANY of my stories has been this well received from the very first moments. Really, you guys are the best, you're the ones who make it worth all the hours of work I put into my fanfics.

I checked the traffic stats just a few hours earlier and I was SO blown away by the numbers, that I decided to put in a bit of extra effort and finish reviewing the first chapter so I could post it today for you all to enjoy (initially I was going to finish reviewing it tomorrow and post it on Tuesday). So a HUGE HUGE thank you, you guys rock! :D

Whew, now that I got that outta my system let's get on with the story, shall we? One mention, if Loki seems a bit too soft/loving/kind/etc. in the first few chapters, please keep in mind that this is the Loki BEFORE _Thor_ happened. So at this time Loki still doesn't know he's adopted and everything, so it's only normal that - while he's still somewhat dark (duh, he's the God of Mischief xD) - he's not quite as dark as he was in the first movie, after Odin confirmed to him that he was indeed a Jotun. So do keep that in mind guys, okay? That's the reason for his apparent OOCness, if anyone perceives it as such.

But enough ranting, enjoy my lovelies~ :D

P.S. Every _Thor/The Avengers/Thor: The Dark World_ character belongs to the wonderful Marvel. I own nothing, except my OCs :)

* * *

**Entry #1**

_**Location: **__Darien, Connecticut, U.S.A._

_**Date: **__April 25 / 26, 1997_

"Good evening, Miss Taylor."

With a smile, Michaela glanced to her greeter.

"I'm sorry I came back so late, Hannah; work was murder today. I hope Kara wasn't any trouble..."

"Oh no, she's been wonderful." the teenager replied. "She finished her homework early so I ordered some sushi for her as a reward. I hope you don't mind, she told me she really likes it. She's asleep right now."

"No, it's alright. Thank you for looking after her again; I know you're busy with your own studies..."

"Oh, I studied all I needed to. Kara didn't disturb me; she's a really sweet girl. But I should be heading home. Let me know if you need me to stay with her again."

Handing the girl some money, the woman nodded.

"I will. Thank you again, Hannah."

"Good night, Miss Taylor."

Once the girl had departed, the young woman locked the door and went upstairs to her bedroom. After a quick shower and a change of clothes she tiptoed to the door at the end of the corridor, which had been left ajar. Opening it a bit more, she peeked inside where her ten year old daughter was asleep hugging the stuffed bear she had gotten from her father just a few days before he had left.

"Mom...?"

The girl's sleepy voice stopped Michaela who had been just about to leave. Smiling, the young woman now stepped into the room and seated herself on the bed.

"Hi, baby..." she said tenderly, leaning down to kiss the girl's forehead. "I'm sorry I came back so late again."

Rubbing her eyes, Kara turned on the bedside lamp and rolled onto her back.

"It's okay... I know you have a lot to do at work."

"Hannah told me you finished your homework early today."

"It was easy..." the girl shrugged.

Falling silent Michaela spent the next few moments simply stroking the girl's chocolate hair. Sometimes she couldn't get over how mature Kara could be at times; she had wondered quite often if it was even normal.

"Mom..." Kara said, snapping the young woman out of her contemplation. "When is daddy coming home?"

It was at those words that the young woman's heart sank; she dreaded this daily routine, because she only had one answer to give. And it was always an answer which brought such sorrow to her daughter's eyes, that it left Michaela heartbroken. Two years had passed since her husband had left, and she could still remember that day as if it had happened just moments before.

At least he'd had the decency to wait until Kara was at school; she dreaded the idea of her daughter witnessing the terrible scandal triggered when her husband had said that he was leaving on an assignment. In truth, it hadn't been the news itself which had caused the tempestuous departure; after all, Michaela had known what she was getting into when she'd agreed to marry a CIA agent. No, what had angered her had been the fact that he'd informed her before leaving of the fact that he had deleted his email address and had changed his phone number, claiming that it was best for her and Kara to not be in touch with him – and that he didn't know if he was ever coming back. When Michaela had demanded to know what sort of assignment was so important that he would break all ties with his own child, they had ended up arguing.

The last memory she had of her husband – other than the framed pictures scattered throughout the house or stored in photo albums – was his angry and hurt expression as he left the house. True, she hadn't been the perfect wife as he hadn't been the perfect husband; but with all said and done she still loved him. Even now she still hoped he would one day show up on their doorstep and that they would be a family again. Once she had mentally prepared herself for Kara's usual reaction, she drew a deep breath and lightly shook her head.

"I don't know baby..." she replied softly, albeit somewhat mechanically. "But I'm sure he'll be back as soon as he can."

Silently watching the stuffed bear she was hugging, the girl then sighed.

"He's not coming back, is he?"

The question actually left Michaela speechless, as it was the first time Kara had reacted like that. Usually she would only nod and agree with her while wearing a dejected expression. Hearing her say that, as though she had given up on hoping, was so frightening that Michaela found herself grasping the girl's shoulders before she'd even fully realized it.

"He's coming back, Kara. Okay?" she smiled. "We just have to keep hoping..."

Having set her silvery gaze upon her, the girl now again lowered her eyes and nodded. How could she answer otherwise when her mother had that pleading shade in her tone?

"Now get some sleep." Michaela smiled, once more kissing her daughter's forehead.

Once the girl was tucked in, the young woman left the room; it was only after she was out of sight of Kara that she finally broke down into tears, and rushed to her bedroom to prevent the child from hearing her cry.

oOoOoOoOoOoOoOo

_**Location: **__New York City / Darien, Connecticut, U.S.A._

_**Date: **__May 03, 1997_

It was one of the first truly warm days of that spring and people were scurrying about, each to their own destination, most of them apparently not even noticing or wanting to take the time to enjoy the beauty of that sunny afternoon. Actually, one of them did... not that he could be really called _one of them_; in fact they couldn't even see him, which pleased the trickster to quite an extent. His magical abilities were growing at a satisfying pace it seemed. Yes, the one walking unseen among them was none other than Loki of Asgard, also known as the God of Mischief; a title he was very proud of, truth be told.

Yes, he had snuck out of his home realm... again; this time, however, he had chosen to visit Midgard, curious to see how people lived in that world. His conclusions after a week of wandering amidst them? They were more technologically advanced than the Vanir or the Light Elves – even if they still had a long way to go before they would catch up to Asgard's level of development; also, their physical abilities were a far cry from those of any other race he knew. Still, he found their world to be intriguing to some extent; Midgardians seemed to live in a constant struggle, although he couldn't yet tell exactly what they were struggling for.

That day, however, his footsteps carried him away from the bustling city and to one of the many suburban areas, as he had learned they were called. He quite enjoyed walking along the streets there as they were quieter than the actual city. Occasionally he would see someone on the sidewalk, or a car speeding along the street. The people in that area lived in homes more similar to those found in Asgard; most likely a remnant of their once predominant way of life, as Loki recalled from his studies of their history. As he had foreseen, the area was devoid of life almost to the point where he found it slightly boring and had begun wishing that something... anything... would happen to break that monotonous silence.

And then, as if to grant his wish, fate had him set his eyes upon a child; a young girl heading his way from across the street. Fancying the idea of playing a harmless trick on her, just for the sake of entertainment, the male now scoured his mind for an idea; so many opportunities, one more entertaining than the other... but which one? Still, his musings were short lived as he caught sight of a car speeding along the same street. Having already been in that realm for a week, he had learned that those transportation devices that Midgardians used would usually come to a halt when one of them was crossing the street; this one, however, did not seem to be doing so.

If someone had asked him, he could not have told what it was that made him move. All he could have said would've been that he hadn't even realized when he had rushed across the street, picking up the girl in the process, the car passing so close to him that the gust of air made his leathery coat sway violently against his legs. He had even been standing there afterwards, glancing in the direction where the contraption had disappeared off to, pondering on whether or not he should find that Midgardian and teach him a lesson; it was then that his mind was so abruptly pulled out from its contemplating process that he nearly dropped the girl he was still cradling. The reason?

"Thank you..."

When he'd lowered his gaze, he had realized that the child was looking straight at him despite the fact that he knew his spell had not worn off, for he could still feel the magic aura surrounding him.

"You can... see me?" he finally asked, his hesitation much too obvious.

When she nodded, Loki knew that he would not be returning to Asgard anytime soon; the excitement of having found such an interesting Midgardian – namely one that seemed immune to his concealing spells – almost had him grin, although he thought better of it.

"Are you my guardian angel? I would've thought you'd be more... I don't know... white?" she said, while he set her back onto her feet.

"I am no angel, I'm afraid..." he replied humorously. "But you are welcome... next time, be more careful when you cross the street."

Somewhat narrowing his eyes as he examined her, the young prince then slightly tilted his head in thought. He definitely needed to somehow find out how it was that she could see him.

"So what are you then? A ghost? An alien?"

By now Kara had narrowed her eyes in thought, much similar to Loki; a thing which had the Æsir chuckling.

"I am neither..."

Staring at him and examining his odd attire, the girl pursed her lips.

"You're not human... are you?"

"You sound disappointed..." he teased.

"Well being saved by an angel or even an alien sounds better than being saved by a human..." she pouted.

Again chuckling, he finally reached out to trail a hand through her hair.

"Then you'll be happy to learn that I am not human."

"But... you said you're not..."

"It might be a bit difficult for you to understand..."

Grasping his wrist, the girl now tugged on his arm.

"Then come home with me and explain it..." she demanded.

Her bossy tone actually made him arch a brow, though he found himself quite pleasantly impressed by the lack of fear she displayed. Almost beyond his will he allowed her to guide him along the street.

"I'm Kara Taylor... what's your name?" she suddenly asked, apparently remembering that she hadn't introduced herself.

"Kara..." he trailed off in contemplation.

Why did it sound familiar? Upon sighting her quizzical glance, however, he once again reverted to his usual soft smile.

"I am Loki..." he replied.

For a split second he could have sworn that he saw a weird twinkle in her gaze, though it was gone before he could make out what it was. Then again, it wasn't an impossible prospect that she might have heard his name; after all, Midgardians had once worshipped him and his family as gods... granted, many of the writings depicting them were far from the truth.

Again, he was drawn out of that musing circle by the realization that Kara had indeed led him to what appeared to be her home. Perhaps now was a good time to tell her that no one else could see or hear him. Before he could speak, however, the girl opened the front door and stepped inside while tugging on his arm to get him to follow. When the elder girl showed up, however, his mischievous streak kicked in, convincing him to first see how things went, before speaking.

"Hannah, I hope you don't mind, I brought home a friend."

Staring at the empty space that Kara was pointing at, the elder girl hesitantly spoke.

"Kara... are you okay, honey?"

"Yeah, I'm fine." she smiled. "I nearly got hit by a car on the way home, but he saved me."

Upon hearing that, Hannah suddenly paled and rushed to the child, checking her over.

"What? Are you okay? Are you injured? Should I take you to the hospital?"

Her concerned tirade of questions was only halted by Kara grasping her shoulders.

"I'm okay... like I said, he saved me."

Once again glancing to the empty hallway, Hannah then offered the child a look that finally made Kara realize something wasn't quite right.

"Honey... there's no one there... are you sure you're okay? Did you hit your head?"

She'd heard of children having imaginary friends... but Kara was already ten; surely that wasn't natural at her age. Shooting Loki a reproachful glance, the girl then nodded and smiled.

"Yeah, I'm okay... I was rehearsing for a play at school. Sorry if I scared you..."

"O-oh... I see..." Hannah replied with a relieved smile. "Well... you got me. You'd make a great actress, I'll give you that. I'll go get lunch ready, okay?"

Once the elder female was gone, Kara now turned to Loki with a frown that actually nearly had him take a step back; such was the intensity of the glare she was giving him.

"Thanks for making me look like I'm crazy." she pouted, keeping a low tone to make sure Hannah didn't overhear her. "You could have said that no one else can see you."

"I am sorry..." he chuckled.

As much as she wanted to stay upset with him, Kara found herself unable to do that; there was just something in his playful smile and in the smoothness of his voice that took away her anger. Still, in a last attempt to stay on top of the situation, she crossed her arms and gave him as much of a frown as she could still muster, what with the corners of her lips twitching and trying to form a smile on her face.

"Then go wait in my room upstairs... you'll know which one it is. It's full of toys."

Deciding to play along for now, the dark haired prince smiled and offered her a courteous bow.

"As you wish, my lady..." he replied.

Finally his humorous tone drew a smile from the girl, although she still battled to keep the frown on her expression.

OoOoO

Two hours had passed since Loki had arrived in the girl's house and finally Kara entered her bedroom to find him standing at the window, his hands clasped at the back of his waist. It was now that she at long last took the time to properly examine him.

The first thing that struck her, now that she was actually looking at him intently, was how incredibly tall he was... at least compared to her. She remembered her father being a tall man as well, but Loki was definitely even taller than that. His hair was black but somehow its particular shine made it look similar to silk; he wore it trimmed short and carefully slicked back, and she made a mental note to ask him what kind of hair gel he used.

Stepping closer so she could see his profile, the girl now went further with her examination. Upon taking a good look at his face, the first thing she noticed was his tall forehead – she recalled her teacher saying that it was a common trait of intelligent people – and it had her wonder just how smart he was. Noticing her, the male turned to face the child, only to somewhat arch a brow at how carefully she was studying him. Regardless, he made no attempt to disturb her, actually finding himself curious to see how she reacted once she'd had her fill of watching him.

Though she slightly shied away at first, the fact that Loki made no attempt to deter her only pushed Kara forward to examine the rest of him, thus she now took to studying his face. Thin, ebony brows loomed over a pair of shiny emeralds which even now twinkled with the promise of mischief. Still, beyond that shade, his gaze was somehow so... kind and warm. Deciding to not let herself get distracted from her goal, the girl instead continued her inspection. His nose was sharply defined and it overshadowed a pair of slender lips, the corners of which were now faintly curled upwards as he watched her in amusement.

Finally, her bluish gray eyes moved to his attire which actually started with the tall collar surrounding his neck almost completely, only a thin strand of skin visible beneath his chin. His torso was clothed in what she could only guess was a moss green shirt, hidden beneath something that looked like a breastplate made of hardened black leather; upon it, a golden collar – somewhat similar to a necklace that adorned his chest – had been carved. Over that he wore a black leather coat that reached down to the mid section of his calves, the sleeves of it held tightly around his upper arms by what she assumed were strips of ebony colored leather. The part of the sleeves which covered his forearms – from the elbow down to the wrist – was hidden beneath equally black protectors that reminded her of the kind she'd seen in pictures depicting medieval knights. His pants were of the same material as the rest of his attire; he seemed to have an odd fascination for black leather, she thought. Black boots covering his feet and legs to just beneath his knees completed his attire, although she soon caught a spark when he shifted his weight that made her realize his coat had a second layer to it, which seemed to be made of steel, similar to a chainmail shirt.

"Are you a prince?" she suddenly asked.

Again arching a brow, Loki found himself intrigued; just how in the world had she come to that conclusion?

"Why do you say that?" he asked tentatively.

"You just... you have this sort of... Prince Charming aura..." she mused.

When he cocked his head to the side, she walked over to the bookshelf to retrieve a fairytale volume.

"Here, I'll show you..."

Setting the book on her bed, she opened the cover to retrieve her own drawing before sifting through the pages until she found a picture of a prince; of course, she'd never quite liked the goofy looking clothes and hats the authors had those princes wear, so she'd taken to drawing them the way she imagined they actually looked like.

"See? This is how people say that princes look..." she pointed out, showing him the book.

"I see..." he replied still trying to piece together what she was trying to say. "But...?"

"How did you know there was gonna be a _but_?" she blinked.

Chuckling, the God of Mischief finally sat onto the bed whilst closing the book.

"There always is..."

"Yeah, well... I don't really think they look like that. I mean, if I were a prince I'd rather kill myself than go outside dressed like that."

Somewhat hesitant, she revealed the drawing she'd been hiding at her back, handing it to him shyly.

"This is... what I think they actually look like..."

Accepting the paper, the Æsir glanced over it; his first thought was how unnervingly similar that drawing was to him, despite the Midgardian outfit.

"Did you draw this from your own mind?" he finally asked.

When she nodded, he extended his hand to return her drawing along with a smile.

"It looks very good."

This was definitely a much too intriguing situation; he knew for certain that he had never used his ability to slither into others' minds on her, yet she had somehow imagined a man which looked strikingly like him.

OoOoO

The rest of that day passed with Kara refusing to leave her room – except to eat dinner and even then only because Loki had promised that he would still be there when she returned. She had asked so many questions that the Æsir had briefly wondered where she could store that much information in her head.

But he had answered; he had told her everything she wanted to know, despite the fact that he normally would not have revealed this much knowledge. When he had found an illustrated book depicting Norse mythology on one of the shelves in her room, it had been even easier for him to explain where he came from and how the other worlds existed among the branches of Yggdrasil. He had spoken to her of Thor and Odin, of Frigga and Sif and even of the Warriors Three. He had told her of Heimdall and the Bifrost, of the war against Jötuns and then of the battle against the Dark Elves of Svartalfheim during the time of his grandfather.

And she had listened... she had listened so intently whilst watching him with such focus, that a few times even he felt compelled to admit her piercing gaze could be unnerving. Late after darkness had veiled the sky, he was seated on the bed watching the girl as she squeezed her stuffed bear.

"Do you have to go back?" she asked, a pout somewhat tugging at her lips.

Loki's chest quivered in a silent chuckle at that, but he reached out to slide his pale fingers through her silky locks.

"I am afraid so... I do not belong here."

She almost startled him when her hand shot up, grasping his wrist while she pinned him with a stern gaze.

"Yes you do... whoever says differently is gonna have to deal with me."

"Well... it sounds like I found myself a guardian. And a vicious one, at that..." he replied, gingerly flicking her nose.

His gesture had the effect he'd hoped for, when the girl's frown melted away and a giggle left her lips. Her humor was short lived, however, her expression soon turning serious as she now played with his slender hand.

"You were telling the truth today..."

Tilting his head somewhat, the dark haired prince narrowed his eyes in thought.

"I do believe you were not saying that as a question." he contemplated.

"I wasn't..." Kara replied, fixing his emerald gaze with her own.

At his puzzled expression, she once more lowered her eyes.

"I... if I look at someone really close, I can... hear what they say... in their head."

The knowledge was enough to leave Loki briefly speechless as he stared at the child before him.

"When did you get this ability?" he finally asked.

"No idea..." she shrugged lightly. "I can do it ever since I can remember... mom doesn't know; I don't want her to worry. She... she's more like Hannah. They're not really fond of... imagination..."

Before he could speak, however, the Æsir felt her grasp on his hand suddenly tightening; next thing he knew she was looking at him with wide eyes, filled with such a striking shade of need – almost desperation – that he felt unsettled to his very core.

"You... you believe me... right?" she asked, though her question sounded more like a plea than anything else.

Seeing her practically crumble before him, and at such a tender age, ultimately compelled Loki to wrap his arms around her, pulling her to a seated position and into a warm embrace.

"Of course I believe you..." he smiled whilst stroking her hair. "And I am glad that you trusted me with this."

Even as he spoke he could practically feel her melting into a relieved breath, and before he knew it she was holding tightly onto him, curled against the hard breastplate he was wearing.

"It will be our secret..." he now whispered in her ear.

His tone delivered an unshakable promise that he would not reveal what she had told him to anyone, no matter what. What he had not anticipated was her reaction to said promise; and it took him aback when she leaned up and pressed her lips to his smooth cheek, whilst her small arms wrapped tightly around his neck. Nevertheless, it brought a smile to his lips... somehow it felt like such an innocent gesture, but at the same time, such a knowing one. It wasn't like he knew much about women raised in other cultures but his own, so as to gauge her actual intentions. For now, however, he would simply take her gesture as it was. Returning it, but to her forehead instead, he then set her back beneath the covers and took to stroking her hair until at long last she fell into a restful slumber.

Even if he returned to Asgard – which he definitely had to do soon enough, lest Thor or someone else came to take him back by force – he would undoubtedly keep a connection with her; he already knew the easiest means of doing that... he would communicate with her in her dreams. He couldn't even remember how many centuries had passed since his interest had been piqued to that extent. But he would figure out all the odd things surrounding her, if it was the last thing he ever did.


	3. Entry 2

Soooo I was gonna wait till I hit 300 views on the story before posting this chapter, but I guess 291 is a good number too so props to you, my lovely viewers :D

However, despite the huge number of views this story got since its inception, which still blows my mind because no other of my stories got this many views in just a few days, I am a bit... I can't say disappointed, that sounds too harsh. I'm sad that it only got one... **ONE (1)** review so far. How can I write what you guys like or in the style that you like, if you don't tell me what you like/dislike about this story?

I know it might seem like I'm overreacting and being too "clingy" or desperate for reviews. But really, reviews are the only thing that help me improve as a writer and the sooner I get them, the sooner I can improve the story in the points where you guys think it's lacking (I said this for those who think that a prologue + one chapter isn't enough for me to be asking insistently for reviews). I don't ask for them just for the sake of seeing that my story gets 100+ reviews or something, because I'm not competing with any other writer to see how many reviews I can attach to a story. I ask for them because I literally have no other way to gauge people's interest and relatability (is that a word? Yes, that is now a word... don't think, just accept it xD) to my stories and writing style.

And I know it might seem tedious and boring to write a review that's longer than just _"Please update soon, I love this!"_ But guys, I know you are more awesome than one-liners. **I KNOW THAT** because I have received some wonderful and exceptional reviews over the years for some of my other stories. If you feel too shy to leave a review in which you tell me what you like/dislike in this story where everyone can see it, or if you think people might judge you for just being honest and saying my story sucks (if that's what you think) by all means just PM me, I'm always open to conversation and I always appreciate honesty and constructive criticism because that's what helps me improve.

With that being said, I would like to offer a heartfelt THANK YOU and I LOVE YOU to **KhAeL** who has reviewed some of my other stories over time and who is in fact the very first to review this story. You are pure awesomeness, my dear, and I sincerely hope you will enjoy this story just as much as you enjoyed the others.

But on to the story...

So in this chapter we get the very first of the time skips you will encounter along the story line. Because having Loki interact TOO MUCH with a ten year old is just... wrong. We all know how we view Loki, and how we imagine he was even before he found out about his true heritage and his mind started breaking down. That is... he comes across as a ladies' man in a lot of aspects. Some of you will probably hate me for saying this, but just take a moment to REALLY examine his personality at the beginning of _Thor_ and you'll see that spark somewhere in there amidst all the mischief. Or maybe that's just me being a weird person and seeing him in that light, I dunno xD

I strongly suggest watching the deleted scenes on Youtube as well, since they are MAJORLY important and actually add a lot more depth and layers to Loki's personality than the actual theatrical release, at least in my opinion. I have no idea what sort of demon possessed Ken Branagh to make him delete those scenes which in the end amount to only a few more minutes that would've been added to the movie length, but which fill in such GROSSLY HUGE plot holes that you likely have noticed in the theatrical release - especially the scene with Loki and Frigga; won't spoil it for you, those who watched that scene on Youtube know what I'm talking about. If you haven't watched it, look for it, watch it! You'll get a WHOLLY different view on Loki, you'll understand how his character was built and you'll understand the whole plot of the movie a lot better just from that one deleted scene, trust me.

But yes, I didn't want him to interact too much with the 10-year-old Kara, specifically because I don't want him to come across as a big brother figure to her, since that is NOT what he's supposed to be in this story. So in this chapter, it's been six years since they last saw each other physically, like face-2-face. I know some people might feel a sort of "pedophile vibe" from him, given that she's only sixteen, but I promise nothing sexual happens in this chapter except a lot of sexual tension (what can I say? She's sixteen, we all know how hormones work at that age xD). But I'm saving the good parts for when she's an adult ;)

So forgive me for another long rant at the beginning of a chapter, lovelies, but I just had to get it all off my chest. I'll just let you enjoy the next installment of this story for now :D

P.S. Every _Thor/The Avengers/Thor: The Dark World_ character belongs to the wonderful Marvel. I own nothing, except my OCs :)

* * *

**Entry #2**

_He couldn't even remember how many centuries had passed since his interest had been piqued to that extent. But he would figure out all the odd things surrounding her, if it was the last thing he ever did._

OoO

_**Location: **__Darien, Connecticut, U.S.A._

_**Date: **__June 20, 2003_

"See you later, guys!"

"Later, Kara..."

Once she had bid goodbye to her classmates, the girl now turned to head home. After a quiet walk along the empty streets, she finally approached her home only to suddenly find herself rooted to the spot. Her breath hitched and her heart suddenly began pounding, making her unable to hear anything aside from the blood rushing through her veins. The reason...? It was staring at her from across the street, veiled in moss green, black and gold just like before.

"Loki..." she managed to whisper.

Although he normally should not have heard that, his lips curled into a smile which soon stretched into a full grin, revealing his milky white teeth. Before she noticed, she too was grinning and not only that. She was stepping toward him, bent on running across the street and into his arms. The next thing she knew, a car horn blew in her ear nearly making her jump out of her dress. As she looked to the car speeding toward her time seemed to slow down; all she got the chance to see was the metal monster rushing at her as if it was trying to devour her... then a flash of gold covered her eyes and she felt her feet leaving the ground, her shoulder hitting something hard. By the time she had regained her full senses, she was back on the sidewalk from where she'd started crossing the street. Not only that, Loki was cradling her just as he had six years before.

"We really should stop meeting like this."

His jesting remark made her raise her gaze to him; and the only reaction she could give him was a mixture of laughter and tears. Once her feet touched the ground again, she flung her arms around his waist and latched onto him while almost crushing her nose against his armor.

"You really need to stop wearing this..." she muttered, in a rather failed attempt at sounding upset.

His soft laughter washed over her like the freshness of the air after a summer rain, and she felt unable to hold back another smile. And then his arms enveloped her with the same warmth and the same promise of safety that she remembered from that night so long ago.

"I missed you, dearest..."

Looking up at him once more, the girl pouted.

"You visit me almost every night in my dreams... how could you possibly miss me?"

"Reality is sometimes better than dreams." he replied with a soft chuckle, before leaning down to kiss her forehead.

"Well I didn't miss you..." she retorted, trying – as usual – to appear independent.

"Oh, but your actions say differently, dearest." he teased. "You're holding me so tightly, that I fear you might break me in half."

Another chuckle left him when Kara stuck her tongue out at him in annoyance, and he finally released her.

"Are you invisible again?" she finally asked.

Before he could answer, however, a few girls from her class passing by came to a halt, gaping at Loki as though they had just seen a rare piece of cake.

"Not this time..." he chuckled, motioning toward the females.

Upon turning around and sighting the group, Kara felt her stomach dropping to her feet. When the girls recognized her and made a straight way toward them, she gulped, suddenly much too aware of his presence just behind her.

"So what the hell am I supposed to tell them about you?" she asked.

She would have probably shot him a nasty glance when he chuckled again, if she didn't feel his slender hands creeping along her neck; the way he was moving them, with his fingers just barely tickling her skin, sent a pleasant shiver along her spine. She was instantly painfully aware of her appearance; the sleazy dress which stuck to her frame, the generously low cut of the dress which complimented her already well developed chest, just how short it was – reaching only halfway down her thighs... in short she was much too aware of both herself and Loki, to feel comfortable.

"You can tell them what you wish, dearest..."

Only when she heard his whisper in her ear did she realize he had settled his hands onto her bare shoulders. For a moment she noticed that his skin felt quite chilly against hers, but the giggles of her friends drew her focus away from that.

"Weren't you guys going home?" she asked once they were within earshot.

"Well we saw you almost getting hit by that car..." one of the girls replied.

While normally she would have dismissed that and given a reassuring reply, Kara found that Loki's presence seemed to have cleared her mind on one side, despite having muddled it on the other what with the arousal he had triggered in her body even while barely touching her.

"Were you following me home?" she asked, trying to sound humorous.

"Okay, okay..." another one sighed. "We decided to go into town and we were gonna stop by to see if you wanted to come with us."

"We didn't know you were meeting with your boyfriend..." the third one grinned.

Opening her mouth to deny that, Kara found that she fancied the idea too much to reject it; especially after she had talked to her friends about him and had actually never denied it when they'd reached the conclusion that he was her secret boyfriend. But what if Loki felt offended if she played along with that now? Then again, he had told her to say whatever she wished...

"Why does life have to be so complicated?" she whispered under her breath.

Shooting a quick glance to the Æsir, she gritted her teeth at his bemused expression as he watched her; it was almost as if he enjoyed seeing her struggle to come up with an answer. Or was it perhaps the fact that she was likely as red as a tomato, judging by the burning sensation in her cheeks?

"This is... uhm..." she stuttered. "This is..."

The more she looked at him, however, the less conviction she could muster to deny that idea. It felt almost as if he was encouraging her to admit it, just with his eyes... or maybe he was daring her to admit it. For the past year or so, she'd tried her best to hide her growing feelings for him but something told her that she had utterly failed. Or was he like that with all women? Trying to push away that cluster of thoughts and save them for later, she heaved a sigh of defeat.

"This is my boyfriend, Loki..." she finally stated. "Loki, these are my friends... Clara, Maria and Alice."

"We can kinda see that..." Clara grinned.

"Nice to meet you, Prince Charming..." Alice giggled.

"You know, Kara talked a lot about you this year." Maria nodded. "We just couldn't convince her to tell us your name or to let us meet you."

"The pleasure to meet you is all mine, I assure you." Loki finally replied with a warm smile.

It actually amused him how all three of them nearly literally melted at the sound of his velvety, half-whispered tone.

"You're a cruel girl, you know?" Alice now pouted at Kara. "Keeping such a hot guy a secret for so long... and then revealing that he's your boyfriend, and we'll never have a chance to woo him?"

"Yep, that's definitely cruel..." Clara agreed.

Rolling her eyes at their antics, Kara merely rubbed her arm shyly.

"Yea, well... he's not from around here. We don't get to see each other that often..."

With Maria being the most sensible one of the group, she cast one quick look at Loki who was by now watching Kara again with a bemused shade on his face.

"Then we'll let you two have some time to yourselves..." she finally said.

Ignoring the dismayed protests of her two friends, she ushered the girls away while Kara offered her a grateful glance. Winking at her, Maria then dragged the other two along the street leaving Kara to once again become painfully aware of Loki's presence next to her and the utterly amused smile playing on his lips. She actually _wanted_ to find his amusement annoying, but as usual there was just something in him that made such a feat impossible to attain... or perhaps it was simply her disobedient streak responding to the mischief he embodied, merely because his very existence was like a promise of complete freedom from the bounds of the world she lived in; and likely a promise she would never receive, as she was quite sure that he did not share her feelings.

OoOoO

The walk back to her house was somewhat of a blur... her mind had simply been much too overridden with thoughts and the pang of arousal that simply refused to die while he was near.

"Should I conceal myself, dearest?"

His question was actually what snapped her out of her reverie, making her realize that they were standing before her door. When she looked up at him, his eyes finally made her realize that along the way he had kept quiet intentionally... had he noticed just how troubled she was, and decided to let her settle her thoughts?

"I'm sixteen... I don't need a nanny anymore. And mom's going to be at work until tomorrow morning, they have a huge contract to discuss and some other things she didn't explain to me." she finally replied, offering him a smile.

Returning her smile with that charming yet mischievous one of his own – the kind that most times in the past year had caused her stomach to tighten and her groin to explode in a torturous flame – Loki merely nodded awaiting for her to lead him inside. Only when she stepped into the hallway and closed the door behind him did she finally realize the words she had said to him. Suddenly she found her heart thumping in her chest and her body faintly trembling. No, it wasn't fear that had triggered such reactions, but the mere realization that no one would be interrupting her time with Loki until the following day... that is, if he agreed to stay there overnight.

As she was standing there, apparently contemplating the doorknob she was still grasping, she was nearly startled out of her skin when Loki leaned down and kissed the side of her head.

"Do not fret, dearest... I have no intention of leaving you until morning."

His whisper slithered into her ear along with that oh so torturously sweet tone he sometimes used when speaking to her; if she had to describe the sensation it gave her, she would have said it felt like someone was dripping chocolate into her ear. The only thing to get her mind working again was when her brain finally processed the actual words he had spoken.

"You... how did you... I didn't say that out loud, did I?" she stuttered in embarrassment.

"You did not think you're the only one who can guess other people's thoughts, did you? There is magic out there that you could never even dream of."

Her reactions of late entertained him terribly, as displayed by his utterly amused smile. She was unexpectedly intelligent and witty... she had a most appealing mischievous streak... she was stronger – emotionally – than he had ever anticipated... but she was also frail and delicate, as if ready to break at the slightest strain. And he found those contradictions of her existence to be deliciously intriguing. Oh, if only she would have known how many times he had wanted to test her... to push her further and further, and see how much she could endure before she actually broke down, either physically or emotionally – or both. What held him back, however, had been the realization that over the years he had actually grown fond of her; too fond to ruin her as he had ruined all his other _toys_.

He knew he should have never shown himself to her, that he had broken the laws of his father which said they were not to come into contact with mortals unless in a time of great need. But she was like a beacon, lighting across the vastness of space and across the branches of Yggdrasil itself, to blind him with her glow, to stir his curiosity until he felt it clawing at his mind like a caged beast. No, as much as he might have wanted to stay away, he had come to accept that he would always be drawn back to her and that his will – which could usually be stronger than the mountains – would always crumble to dust in regards to her; in short, he couldn't help himself. It was an appalling feeling... both elating and terrifying... as he saw himself falling more and more into that odd, twisted sort of spell she seemed to be casting on him, with little chance of being able to rid himself of it.

OoOoO

It was nearly dusk and the dark haired Æsir was now sitting in an armchair in Kara's living room, a stack of papers on his lap; it seemed he had left quite a mark on the girl's life since their first physical meeting, for she had taken to creating so many likenesses of his face. Although her skill could still be further polished, nonetheless it pleased him greatly to know he had so deeply imprinted himself into her being.

"May I keep this one, dearest?"

His question was followed by his hand raising one of the drawings; it was by far her best work to date, actually reminding him of the skill displayed by the royal artists in his father's palace. Looking up from where she was sitting on the floor to work on her homework, Kara briefly examined the paper he was holding before she felt her cheeks warming.

"Why... why that one?" she muttered.

When he had found the drawings in her room, she'd tried to deter him from looking at them, but to no avail; in fact, he seemed to have taken great pleasure from watching her failed attempt at defying him.

She had realized over the years that he was probably the very definition of a ruler... and, oddly enough, she found that to be one of his most appealing traits. Most other males she had met so far always seemed to have this glaring hesitation whenever they were supposed to make a decision, but not Loki. No, he was the kind of man who simply _took_ whatever he desired: without second guesses... without asking questions... without any intention of ever giving it up again. He was a man who knew he was above everyone in her realm, and who relished in that knowledge, even though – every so often – she could have sworn that he too had a frailty he was well versed in concealing.

"Because I like this one the most..."

His reply pulled her out of that contemplative circle her mind was slipping into, making her aware again of the drawing he was holding. The reason she had been flustered by his choice? It was a drawing – the only one actually – where she had depicted both of them in what appeared to be a lush garden. That probably would not have been so bad in itself had she not drawn them sharing such an intimate embrace, her head against his shoulder, his nose and lips buried in her chocolate hair.

"I don't see why you'd want to keep a child's drawing..." she finally replied, lowering her gaze back to the homework she had been struggling like hell to finish for the past hour.

The amused huff she heard from him informed her that he had acknowledged her defeat and was utterly pleased by it. Throughout the following half hour he remained silent, until Kara could swear that it felt as if he wasn't even there anymore. Just as she was thinking that, however, she was startled by the sensation of his magic slithering into her mind.

_'Did I not promise that I would be here until morning, dearest?'_

His voice resounding in her head had her eyes dart up, to meet his mischievous smile.

"I know you have not been working for the past few minutes..." he said tauntingly. "Are you truly that flustered because of a mere drawing?"

"It's... not the drawing itself... I'm actually quite proud of it. It's more... what the drawing _shows_ that has me feeling uncomfortable."

Even after all these years it still was a mystery to her as to how he could so easily make her speak out her thoughts and render her utterly unable to lie. When he narrowed his eyes in amusement and lowered his gaze back to the paper he had set apart from the others onto the table nearby, she instinctively gulped as she awaited his reaction.

"And why is that, dearest? You know I take no offense when you ask me to hold you... or is it that you wish for something more than just an innocent embrace?"

She was making this game much too easy for him; it wasn't the first time such had happened with women around him, and yet he found that she still intrigued him, unlike the others whom he had cast aside without a second glance the very moment he had perceived that they might become boring. After all, he had never been one for easy games... he enjoyed challenges and relished in surpassing odds which no one believed him capable of overcoming.

With the silence lingering, he finally averted his emerald gaze to the girl only to find himself unable to hold back a satisfied smile at the sight of her skin having turned such a delicious shade of red. Yes, now was as good a time as any to test some of her limits.

"Your gaze betrays your thoughts in every way possible, darling..." he teased. "I do not even require my magic to know what you are thinking right now as you watch me with those large doe eyes, while your mind holds the image that you placed upon this paper."

Leaning back into the armchair, he fixed her with a pointed gaze when she opened her mouth to try and retort.

"Oh, yes... do not attempt to lie, dearest; after all, I am the God of Lies and you will find it quite a challenge before you can deceive me."

Even as he spoke he could see the bouquet of emotions that crossed her gaze; from shyness to shame to desire, all the while adorned with that ever present spark of hope. But hope for what? Oh, he would find out without any doubt.

"If you truly wish for more, simply say so... name what it is you desire and do not try to hide what you long for."

Truly, he had no need of his magic to know what she was screaming inside her mind right now... her expression and her body were already shouting it in his face. It was then, however, that the image of him sitting there flickered for but a moment. At the very same time, his arms locked around the girl from behind, his chest pressed against her back, his lips tickling her ear as he spoke, whilst his illusion faded to nothingness revealing the empty piece of furniture.

"So there is a spell you are not immune to..." he whispered. "It pleases me greatly to know that, dearest."

Feeling the faint shiver in her body, he exhaled an amused huff.

"Or is it that you were so distracted by your own thoughts, that you did not even notice when I switched places with my double? Come, dearest... do not treat me with silence; I may very well start believing that you do not enjoy my company anymore."

His last words had the desired effect of triggering her reflexes so as to let him gauge her true intentions, when she involuntarily reached out with both hands to grasp the arm he was holding across her chest. Bringing his other hand to her face he gently grasped her chin to make her look him in the eye.

"You trusted me with your deepest secret... why do you not trust me with your desires?"

It was his gaze that finally got Kara's throat working again and she found herself again speaking her thoughts despite not having intended on saying them out loud.

"Because I'm a child... and you are a man, not a boy."

His chest quivered against her back as he chuckled at her words, before he leaned down until she could feel his breath on her lips.

"My dear, on Asgard your parents would have married you off already... and you would have possibly been carrying a child as well."

For a few moments all Kara could do was stare at him, the notion of what he had just told her having even chased away her shyness briefly. Her first impulse had been to say that such a thing was insane, but the words refused to come out of her mouth. The reason? Her own mother had been only 17 when she had married her father while already pregnant.

"But you're a god... and I'm nothing more than a mortal..." she finally said, in a pathetically weak attempt at dissuading him.

"Yet you desire me..."

The widening of her eyes as he said that left him without a doubt as to the nature of her yearning. Narrowing his own eyes slightly, he once more slithered into her now shaken mind... and what he found there pleased him to quite an extent.

"Is that not why you told your friends that you slept with me?"

At those words Kara felt utterly mortified; so much so that she thought she would faint right there in his arms. At the same time, however, anger rose inside her at the fact that he had read her memories without her approval and it was that pang of fury that led her to tear herself away from his arms.

"Who allowed you to poke around in my memories?" she snapped at him.

By now tears had welled up in her eyes, though they did not stem from irritation as she had initially thought, but from the shame of having been caught lying about him without first having sought out his permission to spread such rumors.

Silence reigned between them until she finally gave in to her curiosity and raised her gaze to him only to find that he had not moved an inch. He was still on one knee before her, one of his arms resting upon the leg he kept against his chest, and he was watching her with that expression that she never knew how to interpret. There was no humor lighting his features now, and despite that his face still conveyed such a mixture of feelings... warmth, kindness, curiosity, but also the unspoken promise that he was not some weak human and that he was not to be toyed with. What was clear for the moment, however, was that he had not been happy with her reaction despite having not forced her to remain in his embrace.

"I'm sorry..." she finally muttered, once more lowering her eyes.

Briefly she contemplated leaving it only at that, but then decided that her reaction needed no apology, as she was not the one in the wrong there. Wiping away her tears, she took a deep breath before finally speaking.

"I... I'd already told my friends that you and I were lovers. And in the past couple of months they all started talking about how they slept with their own boyfriends and kept asking me if I'd already done that with you. I guess... I just didn't want to... seem like the odd one out."

When she looked at him and Loki merely cocked his head to the side whilst pinning her with that same pointed look, she sighed.

"I should have asked you first if you were okay with me saying that, and I'm sorry I didn't. Thinking back on it, it was really stupid to lie just for the sake of being as cool as my friends."

The following moments she found to be the most agonizing of all her life, as she waited for him to speak; had she just destroyed their friendship with that idiotic lie? The prospect of that – she found – terrified her in such a way that she had no idea how she would cope with it.

"This silence is killing me..." she finally said whilst forcing herself to muster the courage needed to sustain that burning gaze of his. "Please say something... anything at all..."

"You really are a foolish girl, are you not?"

The sound of his voice, carrying a slightly amused tone, was so unexpected that she felt her body jolting in surprise. She would have even believed it to have only been her imagination, had Loki not covered his mouth to stifle his laughter. At the sight of her bewildered expression, he finally settled on both knees and reached out taking her wrist.

"Come here..." he said gently.

Unable to resist him Kara soon found herself back in his arms, this time holding onto him as he was holding onto her whilst he trailed his slender fingers through her hair.

"Whoever made you create this deformed image of yourself, that you would attempt to deny me by claiming you are not right for one such as me, when I can so clearly see how much you yearn for me? Have I not stressed it enough over the years that you are perfect just the way you are?"

Again grasping her chin, he raised her face to his.

"The Kara I see and have always seen in you, would never deem herself unworthy of any man's attentions – peasant or king, mortal or god – for any reason."

"So... you're not upset... with me?"

The sight of his prankster smile nearly had her melting in his embrace, and barely allowed her to even register his answer.

"Why would I be upset that my dearest fantasizes about me in such a way? Oh, I am not upset... the knowledge that it is indeed I whom you desire, only spurs me on. Had you told me of your longing, I would have tended to it whenever you would have wanted me to."

Once again he leaned down until their lips almost touched... a thing that Kara found to be a sweet kind of torture.

"You need only name what it is that you want, and I shall give it to you. But I tell you now... say that you desire me, and I will never let you go. Say that it is I whom you long and ache for and you will be mine forever; I am a devoted lover, but a jealous god as well. Say you are mine and I will suffer no man to touch you the way I do... any male who believes he can take what is rightfully mine, will rue the day that he was born. That is the oath I take for you... that I will hold you as my equal in public, and treat you as my goddess in private, only so long as you are mine and mine alone. Deceive me and shatter my heart, and I will have you pay the consequences along with any other involved with you... I will show you what it truly means to anger the God of Chaos."

By now he had again leaned back so the girl could see his stern gaze as he spoke. It was a look Kara knew too well; he was not joking in those words, nor would he allow her to believe that he was jesting in any way. In truth, he could not yet tell if what he felt for her was merely his desire to possess her, or if it was indeed more than just carnal instinct drawing him to her. He assumed that something within him was leaning toward the latter; otherwise he knew he would not have warned her beforehand, but would have simply taken her for his own.

"Do you still yearn for me, now that you know what you would commit yourself to?"

"I don't..." she whispered, unable to speak louder due to how dry her throat had become.

At her words Loki finally loosened his hold on her, though his pride was entirely unhappy that she had found the strength to refuse him.

"Perhaps you have chosen the wiser path and..."

His eyes widened, however, when the girl suddenly pressed her hand to his mouth muffling his voice before she spoke again.

"I wasn't done talking."

His annoyed gaze drew a smile from her, but she did remove her hand and lowered it to the base of his neck, hooking her fingers beneath his armor.

"I don't see why you would think that you can scare me away... or do you believe me to be like other women of my world? That I would be afraid or unwilling to belong to just one man for my whole life? If I give myself to you, it would be out of love... and I would need no other man to complete my existence."

"That's a nice way to say that you refuse to give me an answer now..." he grinned.

"By the laws of my realm, I'm still a child... ask me again in about two years and I'll have an answer for you."

"I will hold you to that, dearest."

"Good..."

With that reply she finally made use of his armor as leverage, so as to lean up and place a kiss to his cheek. It certainly wasn't the first time she'd done such a thing, but it amazed her each time to see just how smooth his skin could be, that it felt as if she was kissing silk. What startled her out of that contemplation was the sensation of his hand settling on the back of her head and gently guiding her to rest her forehead against the black material covering his neck. His arms again coiled around her and Kara found that she couldn't hold back a smile...

Yes, there was no other place she'd rather be than in his embrace that made her feel so safe and wanted.


	4. Entry 3

So here we are, lovelies, at the next installment of my little endeavor. Hope you all like the story so far and that what I have planned for future chapters will be just as interesting for you ;)

One mention before we get started... actually three xD

First, there is no Loki in this chapter, this one is all about Kara. I know some of you might be disappointed by the fact that he won't show up for the moment, but Kara herself needs some development and y'all already know everything about Loki xD But don't worry, lovelies, he'll be back next chapter ;)

Second, I'll be posting replies to reviews at the **end** of each chapter (well at the end of the chapters where I get them) so those of you, my lovely readers, who review my story, keep an eye open after you're done reading and you just might see a direct reply from me to your review ;)

And third, for anyone who wants to chat with me or just see the face behind my pen name (although you might get nightmares... you have been warned xD) you can reach me on Twitter - my Twitter name is on my profile page- so don't hesitate to come talk to me, lovelies~ :D

But for now, on with the story! :D

P.S. Every _Thor/The Avengers/Thor: The Dark World_ character belongs to the wonderful Marvel. I own nothing, except my OCs :)

* * *

**Entry #3**

_Yes, there was no other place she'd rather be than in his embrace that made her feel so safe and wanted._

OoO

_**Location: **__Darien, Connecticut, U.S.A. / S.H.I.E.L.D. Helicarrier_

_**Date: **__October 31 / November 01, 2003_

The night was young and Kara was entirely looking forward to the Halloween party that Maria was going to have at her house. After all, she needed something to distract her from the fact that Loki's visits had become rarer than ever during those past months. If she allowed her mind to dwell on that for too long, she would always start stringing all sorts of thoughts – some far worse than others – and that left her feeling as if her sanity was steadily slipping away, like water dripping from a cracked glass.

"Mom, have you seen my bracelet?" she called out from her room.

It was also one of the rare nights when her mother had arrived early from work. Within moments the female stepped into the room holding the piece of jewelry.

"Here, honey... you left it in the living room." she smiled.

Exhaling a relieved breath, the girl retrieved it and set it around her wrist again.

"Thanks, mom, I thought I'd lost it..."

"I don't see why you're _this_ fond of it, it's just a bracelet."

"I told you I got it from someone very special to me..." she smiled.

Lowering her gaze she now trailed her fingers along the delicate string; indeed it was simplistic in its nature – a strand of silver and one of gold braided together until they converged around a small emerald – but to her it was the most beautiful thing she'd ever seen.

"I wish you'd tell me who this boy is." Michaela replied.

"Who said it was a boy?"

"Come on, honey... girls don't give jewelry like this to other girls." she winked.

Feeling a bit of blush rising in her cheeks, the girl again lowered her eyes.

"I won't pressure you into it, but I would like to meet the guy who caught my daughter's eye."

"He's... not really from around here..."

"Is he a foreigner? Where did you meet him? At school?"

"Uhm... no, we met... on the street... uh..."

Fortunately her stuttering was interrupted by the cell phone ringing on her desk, informing her that Maria was losing her patience.

"Mom, I gotta go, Maria's here. We'll talk later, okay?"

Rolling her eyes at the girl's elusiveness, the woman now smiled and kissed her forehead.

"Take care, honey... don't party too hard."

"Promise... love you, mom." she smiled, kissing the woman's cheek in return.

"Love you too... now get outta here."

Grinning the girl grabbed her cell phone and rushed downstairs to join her friend, leaving Michaela to watch them from her bedroom window.

OoOoO

It was near midnight when Alice alerted Kara that her mother was calling on her cell phone.

"Thanks, I'll go outside for a minute and see if she's okay."

Stepping out in front of the house to have some silence from the loud music inside, the girl now flicked the phone out of her pocket just when it had started ringing again.

"Yeah mom, what's wrong?" she asked with a smile.

Surely the woman was just being overly cautious and had decided to check up on her. The deep, coarse voice that replied, however, definitely did not belong to her mother.

_"Can little Kara come out to play?"_

Before she could reply, the male started laughing as though he was amused by his own joke; a mocking, high pitched, weird sort of cackle that brought the image of an insane clown in her mind, while her heart suddenly began fluttering in her chest like a caged bird.

"Who is this?" she frowned.

Her first thought was that something had happened to her mother, given that whoever she was talking to had used the woman's own cell phone to call her.

_"How about you come here and we'll have a little... family reunion? Mommy's dying to see you... just don't bring the police or I can't guarantee you'll have her back in just one piece."_

"If you lay a finger on her, you'll regret the day you were born." she growled.

Hanging up with the guy's maniacal cackle still ringing in her ears, she stuffed the phone back into her pocket and rushed along the street toward her house. Lately she'd been training the telekinetic powers she had discovered in herself; she was pretty sure of her control over them, though definitely not enough to be certain that she could stop a bullet if that scumbag was armed.

Ten minutes later she was almost at the house when her running pace was brought to a sudden halt by a hand covering her mouth and an arm wrapping around her waist, dragging her into the shadows.

"It's alright, I'm not going to hurt you..."

The strained male voice resounding in her ear as she struggled to break loose, made her turn her head to look over her shoulder although she could barely see anything in the dark.

"I'll let you go, but please don't scream and allow me to explain myself."

Settling down the girl finally nodded; after all, any hope of someone helping her was better than rushing into that house alone, no matter how much her instinct urged her to just go there and save her mother. Taking a deep breath once her mouth was free again, she now turned to the male who stepped somewhat into the light so that she could see his face.

"My name is Phil Coulson... I'm an agent working for S.H.I.E.L.D."

"And... that's supposed to mean what to me?" she replied utterly puzzled.

"We've already got your house surrounded, your mother's not hurt but we need a way to get her out."

For a moment Kara was so relieved at the news that her mother was alright, that she felt as if she would melt into the ground beneath her.

"Oh, thank God..." she whispered.

Now with that cloud of concern off her mind she was finally able to think clearly again, as displayed by her reply to the man before her.

"I'll go inside and see who he is and what he wants... and I'll see if I can convince him to come out. You just keep your men ready."

"Are you sure you want to go in there? We still don't know what his purpose is... but we have identified him as Glenn Taylor."

The mere sound of that name hit Kara like a rock in the head.

"Who?" she finally breathed out.

"I don't know if your parents ever told you, but your father has a younger brother. He ran away from home as a teenager and got involved with all the wrong people. A few years before he left, your father put him in prison. We received a report yesterday that he had escaped, so we set out a watch on your house, but it looks like we were too late."

"My father works with you? Do you know where he is?"

Shaking his head, Coulson sighed lightly.

"No, your father is not part of S.H.I.E.L.D. and he's not the reason we were tracking your family. In fact, you are... but we'll talk after we finish here. I'll explain everything, because after this we'll need to take you into protective custody."

"You'd better have a damn good explanation for all this madness..." she retorted.

Smiling lightly, the male now handed her a tiny earpiece before finally letting her move into the house.

"Mom...?" she called out lightly, upon entering the dark hallway.

Even the knowledge that her house was surrounded by what she assumed were trained agents wasn't too comforting. Really, there was nothing more she wished at that moment than to have Loki there with her; but he was worlds away and she couldn't exactly ask that bastard to wait until she took a nap so as to try and contact the Æsir.

"My, my... look at you... such a beautiful niece and my brother never once mentioned you to me."

The male voice she recognized by now alerted her that the man was likely standing in the doorway leading to the living room.

"Where's my mother?"

"Oh, don't worry... Michaela's okay, for now. She's just a bit... tied up at the moment."

As she cautiously approached the living room, the light was suddenly turned on, blinding her for a moment. Blinking to let her gaze adjust she then found herself staring in shock at the ransacked room before her, and her mother tied to a chair in the middle of all that chaos, a piece of fabric tied over her mouth.

"Mom..."

Rushing to her side, she quickly checked for any injuries, only startled from that task by the male voice now resounding behind her.

"Hm... you look better than I'd thought, now that I see you up close."

Her gaze darted back to the man who was now standing in the doorway; in one sweep she took in his disheveled hair, the dirty rags hanging loosely onto his skinny body, his emaciated face. He also looked sickly and for a moment Kara had the wild thought that in a direct physical confrontation even she could have taken him down, but the gun he was holding made her second guess her initial intention... or perhaps it was the feral spark in his black eyes that otherwise resembled two pools of void, which even made her gulp lightly; it truly felt as if she was watching a predator ready to pounce at any moment. Still, she moved in between him and her mother, using her own body as a shield.

"What do you want?"

"I just wanted to visit my brother... Michaela didn't want to tell me where he is, but maybe you'll be more cooperative." he smiled, in a way that sent a cold shiver down Kara's spine.

"I don't know where father is... he left when I was little, without telling us where he was going." she spat out.

When his smile faded and she caught a twinkle of sheer insanity in his gaze, the girl clenched her jaw in an attempt to keep her cool; if she lost her head, he would kill them both, likely not in a quick manner judging by the thoughts she could decipher out of the twisting mass in his mind.

"Why would you lie to your beloved uncle?" he asked whilst taking a tentative step toward her. "Didn't your father ever teach you that telling the truth is better?"

Before she could reply, she was nearly startled out of her shoes by the sound of a window shattering upstairs. Cursing under his breath, the male now swiftly moved to her; the last thing Kara saw was his raised arm before a splitting pain erupted in the side of her head, where he had hit her with the butt of his pistol, making her knees give way and her body collapse to the floor. For a second she thought she would black out, and fortunately the male seemed to think she had done just that.

"Don't go anywhere..." he smiled to Michaela before carefully walking out of the room to go check the upper floor.

Once he was out of her sight the girl sat up holding her head that now hurt as if someone had sliced it open.

"Kara..."

The echoing voice made her turn her painful gaze to the window, where she spotted Coulson climbing into the room. She felt as if she was seeing everything in slow motion as the agent grabbed her arms and pulled her to her feet, before producing a pocket knife and starting to cut the ropes around her mother. Shaking her head to clear it, Kara moved toward the doorway in an attempt to retrieve a knife from the kitchen, only to be frozen in her steps by the sound of a gunshot at the upper floor followed by Glenn's enraged voice.

"You little bitch! I told you not to bring the police!"

"I'm done, let's go..." Coulson suddenly said, grabbing the girl's arm again.

Whirling her around he now dragged her toward the window where Michaela was desperately reaching out for her.

"Come on, honey..."

Even as Coulson dragged her across the room, Kara felt as if there was someone else walking in her body and she realized the shock of that night was finally settling in. Briefly she caught a glimpse of several armed agents closing in on the window, guns at the ready, whilst Coulson was speaking into his earpiece, although her mind was too stunned to understand what he was saying.

"What the hell is this?"

The insane shout behind her had her turn around almost involuntarily, to see Glenn pointing the pistol at her. She heard the gunshot and saw the bullet leaving the firearm, and her body froze whilst her mind filled with only one thought... she was going to die. Like in a dream she heard someone shouting her name before a dark figure crossed her sight and she felt a pair of arms hugging her tightly. Her first thought was that Loki had saved her again somehow, through some miracle. But then she realized that the one embracing her wasn't a male.

"M... mom...?" she exhaled shakily.

"It's okay, honey..." she whispered soothingly, stroking the girl's hair. "It's okay... everything's okay..."

Another gunshot, followed by the sound of a body falling to the floor, startled her and instinctively had her wrap her arms around her mother; when her hands settled onto the woman's back, however, she frowned in confusion at the wet sensation there and raised a hand only to stare in shock at the blood dripping along her palm.

"Mom..."

"Be a good girl, okay? I love you..."

Michaela's whisper in the girl's ear was followed by her body finally going limp in Kara's embrace, the weight forcing Kara to her knees. Tearing her gaze away from her bloodied hand, the girl now stared in utter shock at her mother's body. All she knew was that she wanted to scream... just to scream as loud as she could, and release the pain in her chest which made her feel as if her heart had literally been shredded. But she couldn't...

She barely even felt Coulson embracing her; she barely even heard the stomping of several agents as they rushed into the house to retrieve Glenn's dead body from where he had fallen after Coulson had shot him in the head; in fact she barely even remembered how to breathe at that moment.

OoOoO

"How is she?"

"I'm not sure, Director... she was still in shock when we got here; one of our doctors gave her a mild sedative, she's asleep for now."

Exhaling a slight sigh, Fury averted his gaze from Coulson to the girl lying in bed before them.

"Well let me know how she is when she wakes up."

"Yes, sir."

About an hour after Fury had left the door to the girl's medical ward opened again, to reveal one of the other agents.

"Oh, it's you Barton..." Coulson said upon sighting the man.

"This the kid?" he asked, nodding to the girl.

"Yes, this is Kara Taylor, the girl we've been monitoring for the past few years."

"I heard what happened tonight... you think she'll get over it?"

"I can't say... her mother died in her arms; that's not really something you get over that easily."

"Heard Fury's planning to make her an agent... well _if_ she keeps her sanity after this. Read her file earlier... it says she has some... unusual abilities."

"That's precisely why we've been tracking her; Director Fury had a meeting with the Council a while back. They said that her specific gift is much too dangerous to be left alone. He refused to kill her... they told him it's either that or he makes her one of our agents so we can keep an eye on her. I'll be in charge of her while she's here."

Looking to his fellow agent, Barton now curved a corner of his lips into a somewhat jesting smirk.

"I feel sorry for her already..."

OoOoO

"How are you feeling?"

Shadowing her eyes from the bright lights, Kara shot a quizzical glance to the source of the male voice; it took her a moment to recognize Coulson who was standing next to the bed she had been laid in.

"Wh... where am I?"

And why did her voice sound so groggy, as if she'd been drugged?

"You're in the medical wing, on the S.H.I.E.L.D. Helicarrier. You were still in shock when we brought you here, so you probably don't remember that. A doctor examined you and gave you a mild sedative to let you rest for a bit. Fortunately you only got a lump to your head; he didn't hit you hard enough to cause any severe damage."

When she failed to reply, being too busy trying to fully awaken from the drugs, the agent offered her a somewhat concerned glance.

"What's your name?"

"I thought you already knew my name..."

"I know your name. I want to see if _you_ remember your name."

"Kara... Kara Taylor..."

"Good. The doctor will want to scan for any internal head injuries anyway, but it's a good sign that you still remember who you are."

Helping her when she attempted to sit up, he once more clasped his hands in front of himself, unable to change his concerned expression.

"Do you remember what happened earlier?"

His words almost instantly brought tears to her eyes, as her mind began replaying the events of that night.

"I wish I didn't..."

Taking a moment to glance around after finally shaking off that hazy veil from her mind, she wiped her tears with the back of her hand.

"So how long am I staying here?"

"I can't say yet. But I'll be in charge of you while you're here." Coulson replied, making his best attempt at a reassuring smile.

Setting a hand onto her shoulder, he again smiled once she focused on him.

"I know it's hard to believe it right now, but everything's going to be alright. So long as you don't give up the fight, nothing can keep you down forever."

oOoOoOoOoOoOoOo

_**Location: **__S.H.I.E.L.D. Helicarrier_

_**Date: **__December 20, 2003_

Seated upon a flight of metallic stairs, Kara was watching the first true blizzard of that winter. For a short while the erratic yet mesmerizing dance of snowflakes amidst the grey clouds managed to entrance her; but as always, her mind soon turned back to that last night in her home, soon triggering tears from her hollowed eyes.

She had met Fury and he had explained that they wanted to train her so that she could become a member of S.H.I.E.L.D. and – while she had agreed due to not really having anywhere else to go – she still felt out of place. Coulson, Barton and Maria Hill – whom she had later found out was Fury's most trusted agent – and even Fury himself had done all in their power to help her get through her grief, but with only mild success.

By day she felt like an empty shell... at night she was plagued by nightmares as her mind relived the moment of her mother's death again and again, slowly driving her insane. She assumed that was the reason why she couldn't seem to get in touch with Loki anymore, despite the fact that she felt like she needed no one else more right now. While she was grateful that everyone had offered so much of their time to her, there was no one else's care that she craved more than Loki's.

But he wasn't there and she felt so alone that sometimes all she wanted was to scream out across the heavens until her throat became raw and started bleeding; perhaps then he would hear her... perhaps then he would see how she had knelt beneath the weight of her sorrow... perhaps then he would come to take her hand and get her back on her feet. Or perhaps he would consider her pathetic and weak, and would scold her for it; but even that was better than his utter absence which – in short – terrified her.

"Hey, you okay?"

Looking to the male who had spoken to her, Kara now smiled as much as she could at the sight of Clint approaching her.

"Yeah... I guess so..."

Sitting next to her on the stairs, the blue eyed archer watched her in silence for a short while.

"You know... I never was too good with words, but I think you should try to move on already. I doubt she would've wanted to see you moping around all depressed."

"She was my..."

While she had meant to say that her mother had been her whole world, Kara now found that the words refused to leave her throat; was it because her mother had no longer been her entire universe of late? Had she actually allowed Loki to occupy such a vast space of her heart over time?

"She was my mother..." she finally said. "I don't see how I could just _move on_..."

"Moving on doesn't mean you forget, though..." Barton replied. "But your mother died so that you could be here right now. I think you should at least try to live your life; she must've wanted that, otherwise she wouldn't have jumped in front of that bullet for you."

Even now he still had no idea how Coulson and Hill had convinced him to have this talk with the girl; he couldn't say that he knew too much about his own parents. But both of his colleagues had agreed that he was the best suited one for that task, for a reason that was beyond him.

With the silence stretching on, he briefly examined her expression and decided to press the matter a bit more, hoping that he wouldn't trigger a violent reaction from her. She had recently discovered that she could use her telekinesis to levitate her own body; and quite frankly, he didn't really fancy the idea of an irate flying opponent whom he wouldn't be able to hit in return and who could throw a table at him – or worse – just by thinking it.

"You have a unique set of gifts, Kara... and I think you can use them to live your life in a way that would make your mother very proud. Think about it... okay?"

Patting her shoulder after those words, he now finally stood and walked away leaving Kara with her own thoughts. Once he was gone, the girl averted her gaze back to the sky surrounding the Helicarrier. Was Barton right in what he had told her? She did wonder now if her mother would be proud of her, should she make use of her gifts in service of S.H.I.E.L.D. After all, Fury had said their job was to keep the peace throughout the world; but was that really the best choice for her?

"As if I have another..." she muttered to herself.

Still, she realized she had to do something with her life, because she couldn't let it go to waste after her mother had sacrificed herself to save her. Even as she thought that, she felt her will steeling again; yes, she would train to become an agent and she would make sure to survive... it was the least she could do to honor her mother's memory.

oOoOoOoOoOoOoOo

_**Location: **__S.H.I.E.L.D. Helicarrier_

_**Date: **__March 03, 2005_

"Kara? Can I come in for a minute?"

Raising her eyes from the files she had been studying, the girl smiled lightly at the male voice coming from behind the door.

"Sure, Phil..."

With the door now sliding open, the agent stepped into the room with a slight smile.

"Director Fury would like to see you in his office."

Narrowing her eyes in thought at the man's expression, she finally widened them while her own lips now quivered in their attempt to curve upwards as she read his mind.

"Really?" she asked, almost breathless with emotion.

"He's been very impressed with how fast you and well you developed. I think you'll make a great agent..."

Steadying himself when the girl lunged into his arms, he then chuckled and embraced her.

"Oh, here..." he said after she released him, handing her what looked like a jewelry box. "Happy birthday..."

"Phil, you really didn't have to..."

"I know..." he smiled in jest. "But I wanted to."

Chuckling lightly, the girl now unwrapped her gift and widened her eyes at the diamond studded necklace inside.

"Oh my God... this wasn't just your idea, was it?" she asked, narrowing her eyes playfully at him.

"Well... Natasha might've had her own contribution to it..."

Shifting beneath her pointed gaze he raised his hands in defense.

"Okay, okay I surrender... everyone contributed to this."

"Really, you guys are incorrigible..." she smiled, shaking her head.

"Not the word I was looking for." the male chuckled.

Setting the box onto the table, she then rushed out past the agent, placing a kiss to his cheek in the process.

"Thank you!" she called out as she rushed down the hallway toward Fury's office.

Upon arriving there she pressed the scanner button next to the door, waiting for the AI to grant her access. With the door sliding open she now stepped into the office where Fury was standing before the large windows, watching the clear sky.

"You really should stop spoiling me..." she stated in jest, halting before the man's desk.

"Well, I guess we all kind of gave in to our parental instincts. And it's not every day that you turn eighteen and become an adult."

With those words, the male finally turned to face her.

"Agents Barton and Romanoff informed me of your latest development. And, after discussing it with the Council, we believe you're finally ready to become an official agent."

"Does that mean I won't be stuck in the belly of this metallic whale 24/7?" she chuckled.

"It does." Fury replied, seating himself. "Here's your first external assignment... happy birthday."

Grinning, the girl practically ripped the file from his hand only to feel her smile drop as she read the contents.

"Bodyguard for the Greek Prime Minister...? Are you kidding?"

"You'll be working with agent Romanoff on this; we have Intel that he's being targeted by a group of anarchists. He has to attend a meeting with the British Prime Minister and your job is to keep him alive."

"Yes sir..." she droned on.

"Kara, don't rush it... you'll get to the big assignments in due time. I can't send you out on a mission with high levels of danger before you grasp the feeling of being on the field, because I refuse to get you killed."

"I know..." the girl finally replied somewhat softer than before. "I guess I'm just sick of being on this ship all the time and doing boring assignments."

"Well good things come to those who wait..." Fury retorted with a slight smile.

Chuckling when the girl stuck her tongue out at him in annoyance, he then waved her off watching as she left his office while examining the file again. He could only hope that she was indeed ready for field missions and that he would not come to regret his decision.

* * *

So, as promised my lovelies... today's replies:

1. **Emily **- Thank you so much, darling. I'm happy that you liked the way I portrayed Loki, since I always am a bit hesitant whenever I start uploading a new fanfic. I can never be certain if I'll get the canon characters' personalities right, but I'm glad to hear I nailed it for Loki ;) Hope you'll enjoy the story from now on as well and don't hesitate to let me know if you have any questions or if you find something that you don't feel I got right in the story line :D

2. **Mrs Sorbo **- I'm really glad you enjoy the story, hun. To be honest, I'm contemplating on whether or not I should tweak the ending in a way that would let Kara live, but we'll see... I don't wanna spoil anything ;) As I said to Emily, don't hesitate to PM me or leave a review if you have any questions or just anything you want say regarding the story.

So these are my replies for today. Cheers, lovelies~ ( ˘ ³˘)❤


	5. Entry 4

So here's the next episode of my little story. The heartwarming reviews I received after I uploaded the previous chapter convinced me to put in a bit of extra effort and finish this one and upload it sooner than I'd originally planned. So props to you, lovelies~ :D

One mention before I let you get on with the story... actually two xD

1. I'll summarize this chapter in just two words - naughty Loki ;D I'll understand if some of you might feel as if I rushed this, but keep in mind that in story line time they've already known each other for eight years and, of course, hormones do play a huge part in a teenager's life (yes, I consider Kara as a teenager even if she turned 18 already xD).

2. Since I was utterly disappointed that the writers hinted at a love triangle (Jane-Thor-Sif) in _Thor: The Dark World _and then decided to just throw the idea in the garbage bin - even though, in my opinion, it would have brought some very interesting drama and character buildup to the movie - I've decided to try my hand at a triangle here.

As you probably already guessed by now, Loki will be the "object of desire" in this triangle. Who's the other woman? Well I have put information for both Kara and the other female OC on my profile, including links to the pictures I chose to represent each of them. And since I'm curious by nature, I also **put up a poll** so you guys can tell me which one you think would have better chances of winning Loki's heart in the end.

I'm still not entirely sure if I'll fully flesh out the love triangle in this story or in the sequel, mostly because I might feel as if there will be enough going on already without it. And **YES** there will be a sequel, I already have some scenes written down for it because they were floating around in my head :D But the idea of the love triangle will be a sort of "ghost companion" in this story if I decide to leave the bulk of it for the sequel - kind of like a shy kid looming in the background, just waiting to be noticed.

Soo go read about these two lovely ladies on my profile and then vote and let me know what you think. Depending on the results I might alter some of my ideas so we'll see, I'm open to changes ;)

But for now, enjoy the lemony goodness, lovelies~ :D

P.S. Every _Thor/The Avengers/Thor: The Dark World_ character belongs to the wonderful Marvel. I own nothing, except my OCs :)

* * *

**Entry #4**

"_Well good things come to those who wait..." Fury retorted with a slight smile. [...]_

oOo

_**Location: **__Hotel 41, Westminster, London, U.K._

_**Date: **__March 22, 2005_

"Man, I feel like someone beat me with a stick..."

Sighing deeply after those words, Kara now dropped onto her bed and set her gaze upon the ceiling. She had left Natasha at her own room just minutes earlier, after a full day of following the Greek Prime Minister around London. And he hadn't even met with his British counterpart yet, much to her chagrin; she'd hoped that they would be done with that mission quickly, but now she was seeing that hope starting to fade into nothingness. Not to mention that walking on high heels all day, wearing a tight skirt wasn't exactly her idea of fun. If anything, Natasha seemed much more at home on such a mission than Kara could imagine ever feeling.

Ultimately forcing herself to rise, she discarded her shoes and sighed in relief as her feet unwound enjoying the cool tiles of the floor. Unbuttoning and taking off her jacket, she dropped it onto the bed on her way to the nearby table.

"How about some music?" she muttered to herself whilst turning on the TV.

Settling onto a music channel she set down the remote and locked the door before proceeding to undress; she could hardly wait to get into the shower and relax. It was only some minutes later, while she was in the shower, that she remembered why she had dreaded the moment when she would be alone. As it happened more and more often recently, her thoughts again turned to Loki and she clenched her teeth at the emptiness she could feel swelling in her chest as she recalled that he hadn't contacted her at all for the past two years.

It wasn't until half an hour later that she finally realized why she had that subtle sense of discomfort... her intuition told her that she wasn't alone anymore. Cursing inwardly at the fact that she hadn't taken her pistol into the bathroom, she wrapped a towel around her given that she hadn't taken any clothes in there either, as she had counted on being alone. Hoping it wasn't some armed lunatic, she cautiously crept out of the bathroom only halting at the edge of the wall from where the rest of her room spread out. Taking a deep breath she glanced around the corner, only to be utterly shocked when she saw no one there.

"What the hell?" she muttered, stepping closer to the bed.

Was she finally starting to lose her mind? She wouldn't put it past herself, but her intuition had never failed her before.

"Did you miss me?"

The warm breath landing on her ear along with that velvety whisper nearly made her jump out of her skin. For a moment her mind was left in a sort of pleasant stupor as she recognized the voice she had so ached to hear again during those last two years. At long last whirling around, she found that she couldn't do anything but stare at the male before her.

"Oh God..." she breathed out.

"You can call me Loki, dearest..." he replied with a playful smile.

Whilst she was still much too shocked to reply, the dark haired prince now took a moment to look her over, his smile taking on a slightly lecherous shade.

"I'm impressed... I left you a child and now I find you a woman."

His words finally made Kara aware of the fact that she was practically naked before him, as the towel did little to cover her; particularly since she was slightly taller than when Loki had last seen her and her body had now developed fully. Instantly feeling her face taking fire, she turned her back to him and rushed to the dresser to retrieve some clothes.

"Where were you all this time?" she asked from behind the door. "Do you even know how much I missed you? How much I needed you to be there for me?"

At the subtle tremble in her voice his humor finally died out, leaving a curious but concerned expression on his pale features whilst he lightly cocked his head to the side.

"I am sorry for my long absence, it was not my intention. I had some things that needed taking care of..."

When she again fell silent, he slightly furrowed his brows.

"Kara... what happened?"

Finally stepping back into his field of vision, wearing a sleeveless shirt and a pair of sleazy pants which covered her legs down to her knees, the girl sighed and retrieved the remote to turn off the TV.

"My mother was killed..." she muttered, doing her best to avoid his gaze.

Her statement actually made the Æsir feel unsettled as he now gazed upon her, and for once in his life he was unable to find his words. When he failed to reply, Kara willed herself to look at him although his shocked expression was something she had not expected. Sighing again she walked past him and sat onto the bed.

"Apparently my father failed to mention that he had a younger brother... or that he put said brother in prison some years before he left me and mother. He escaped two years ago and took my mother hostage, trying to find out where father was; probably to take revenge on him or something. We'd almost gotten her out but she..."

Pausing when she felt her voice breaking down from the heaviness of that memory, she inhaled deeply before finishing her phrase while Loki finally seemed to have recovered enough to sit next to her.

"He tried to shoot me but she jumped in between us..."

Exhaling a sarcastic huff, she briefly clenched her jaw when she felt the warmth of her tears crawling downward along her cheeks.

"I never imagined my own mother would die in my arms..."

Still wordless, the green eyed god merely reached out and carefully wrapped his arms around her; it took only a moment for the girl to latch onto him while he now tilted his head until his lips pressed a gentle kiss against her temple.

"I give you my word that I did not stay away from you of my own will." he whispered. "It pains me to know that you needed me and I was not there... but I am here now. And I swear to you that never again will I let you be lonely, so long as I draw breath."

"What were you doing all this time, anyway?" she asked, her voice somewhat muffled by his attire.

Leaning back before he could reply, she fixed her cobalt gaze upon his.

"Or is it too much to ask you about that?"

"Of course not, dearest..." he smiled, kissing her forehead. "I accompanied my brother and our friends to Alfheim; father believed it was in our best interest to train with the Elves for a time. And while I admit that I have learned many new aspects of combat from them, I cannot even begin to tell how much I missed you."

The following few seconds passed in silence with Loki stroking the girl's still wet hair and Kara watching him wordlessly. For a split moment after seeing him that night she had wanted to hate him for not being there to help her through her darkest hour. But, as always, she found that she simply could not stay angry with him... much less _hate_ him.

"Yes..." she suddenly said, drawing his gaze from her chestnut hair back to her face.

Her lips twitched into a shade of smile at the sight of that particular way he narrowed his eyes whenever he was puzzled about something.

"The answer to your question." she added, hoping that she wouldn't blush too hard.

Biting back a relieved sigh when she caught the way his expression changed as he finally understood what she was talking about, she averted her gaze shyly only to be startled by the fact that he stopped stroking her hair; instead, his hands came to rest on her cheeks forcing her to look straight into those mesmerizing emeralds beneath his dark brows.

"Are you sure that's what you want? I do not wish to make vain promises of a perfect eternity together... it will not be an easy journey at my side."

Doing her best to keep her composure, Kara ultimately cursed at herself inwardly when she caught her gaze drifting to his lips as he spoke.

"Shut up and kiss me already..." she whispered, hooking her fingers into his armor and using that to pull herself closer.

The last image her mind had the time to register was a fleeting sight of his prankster smile, before her senses were engulfed by the silky warmth of his lips pressing against hers. The flurry of emotions which erupted in her was so overwhelming that all she could do was throw her arms around his neck. His hands moved away from her cheeks, but before she had the time to be disappointed she felt one of his arms around her waist while his other hand settled on the back of her head, his slender fingers entwining with the chocolate strands cascading along her back.

Almost involuntarily, her lips soon parted slightly; she didn't want her first kiss to be just a shallow act... she wanted to get a taste of him, to know what a passionate kiss felt like. As if he had read her mind, Kara soon felt him straightening his posture. At the same time she noticed his armor dissolving into thin air and finally got to experience the sensation of having her chest pressed against his, albeit through the fabric covering them. And then his lips curved into a smile against hers, right before his hand abandoned her hair in favor of grasping her chin and gingerly tugging on it so as to get her to open her mouth.

Many a time she had imagined that such a kiss would repulse her, yet the sensation of his tongue sliding in between her lips sent a pleasant shudder along her spine. It was... warm and moist, at the same time delighting her taste buds with the fresh, chilly aroma of mint. Unable to put up any bit of resistance when he pushed his way further into her mouth, she felt her muscles twitch when his tongue touched to hers. But somehow the way he was slowly pressing forward, allowing her to get used to the sensation, was enough to drown out most of her nervousness. It wasn't too long before she managed to gather her courage and finally reply to his kiss; she actually felt him smiling again when her tongue warily slid against his, before he suddenly shifted to a more passionate note in their lip lock.

In an abrupt rush of euphoria, Kara found herself tightening her hold on him and arching her back to press herself to his body until her breasts actually started hurting slightly. In a haze her mind finally grasped the reality of where her instincts were urging her. She'd always thought she would lose her virginity after getting married, but right now she didn't give a damn about that fantasy anymore. All she knew was that she wanted him so much it actually hurt and it took all she had to not whine in protest when he leaned back, leaving her hot lips at the mercy of the chilly air.

"If you wish to keep your purity a while longer, now is the time to stop..." he whispered, his hot breath heavy on her lips whilst his forehead pressed against her. "Otherwise I will not relent until I'm done giving you every last drop of seed that my body can muster."

Taking advantage of the fact that his eyes were closed, Kara lowered her gaze to see his attire; his coat and bracers had vanished along with his breastplate, leaving his torso covered only in the moss green tunic she recalled catching only glimpses of before. Briefly thinking it over, she decided to do her best at swallowing her nervousness. With that in mind, she trailed her fingertips downward along his neck, tracing the contour of his collarbone and ultimately arriving at the spot where the two sides of his shirt overlapped, the material held together by what she noticed to be a leather sash around his waist.

It wasn't often that anyone managed such a feat, but her reaction to his words actually startled the Æsir, making him open his eyes which almost instantly darted downward to follow her hand's motions. Before she could hook her fingers into his shirt, however, he grasped her hand and brought it to his lips, kissing her fingers.

"Do not test my patience, dearest..." he said, fixing her gaze with his.

Retrieving her hand, Kara now smiled whilst reaching down and grasping his sash.

"It wasn't a test..."

With Loki now watching her silently, she moved her arms around his waist before finally removing the leather strip and tossing it to the floor. Trying her best to aid her instincts with what knowledge she had gained from her recent talks with Natasha, the girl then slipped free from his embrace only to spread her legs across his lap and settle there, her arms again wrapping around his neck.

"Now..." she stated, playfully narrowing her eyes at him. "I didn't imagine the God of Mischief to be this shy."

Even as she spoke she could see his mask of restraint crumbling, giving way to his usual prankster smirk. Along with that came the sensation of his smooth palms tracing her thighs, and though his skin was slightly colder than she had expected – as she could fully feel through the flimsy fabric – his touch only served to add more and more fuel to the flame which had sparked inside her during their kiss. It was when she felt his fingers sliding across her backside that she finally saw that spark in his eyes she had always so adored... the glint of dominance that always sent a pleasant shiver along her spine. Next thing she knew, his hands clenched onto her rump and then her back hit the bedding letting her feel the weight of his body on hers.

"Now you've done it, dearest... I hope you're happy, because I will not be stopping until the very end." he stated with a mischievous smile.

"I don't want you to stop..." she retorted smugly.

At those last words his fingers hooked into her shirt, although he actually blinked in surprise at how easily he could rip it off her.

"I am becoming quite fond of Midgardian clothes... they're so easy to remove..." he grinned whilst discarding the shredded fabric onto the floor.

Still staring at him in shock as her mind tried to grasp the fact that he had rendered her half naked in just one move, Kara only regained her focus when he leaned onto his hands so that his face hovered mere inches from hers.

"You will not leave this bed before you know what it means to belong to me. When I am done with you, the only things you will still remember will be how to breathe and my name. Come dawn, this entire building will know who it was that bedded you. That is my promise..."

His words, though spoken on a slightly hoarse tone due to the desire building up within him – which could be so easily seen now pooling in his emerald gaze – actually made the girl smile.

"I can't wait to see you make good on that promise..."

As she spoke she reached up to place her palms onto his chest, sliding them up and along his shoulders to render him shirtless. When he leaned away from her to remove the green tunic, the sight of his slender yet well defined torso hidden beneath smooth, pale skin aided the girl in finding a sudden bout of courage which led her to reach to his waist and undo his pants. Due to having kept her gaze on his, however, she was startled when her hand accidentally brushed against the bulge formed by his awakening member. When her reflex kicked in, making her withdraw her hand, Loki reached out to gently grasp her wrist.

"Don't be afraid, love... I know you're curious." he smiled.

Biting back the urge to stick her tongue out at him when she realized he had been poking around in her mind again – and inwardly admitting that he was right and she was indeed curious to explore his body – she relaxed her arm, allowing him to place her hand back onto the edge of his leather pants. When she narrowed her eyes questioningly at him and he nodded, Kara now lowered her gaze along his body until she could follow her hand's movements. Slowly, hesitantly, her fingers slipped downward and again traced the contour of his member through the dark fabric. It actually astounded her to realize that it felt so hard, and unthinkingly she placed her palm to his growing erection, giving it a curious squeeze.

Loki's reaction, however, astounded her even more as he suddenly smacked a hand onto the bedding next to her shoulder to keep himself from falling over, a mixture between a grunt and a content sigh escaping his lips. For a moment she thought she had hurt him, but then that soft chuckle of his that she so loved reached her ears.

"You are proving quite skilled in breaking my boundaries..." he smirked. "Were it not your first time, I would have already had you screaming my name until your throat became raw."

As he stated the last words, Kara could feel his hand creeping along her neck, his fingers barely grazing her skin. And though, for but a moment, her instinct did remind her that he wasn't an ordinary male, she found that she couldn't be afraid of him... even if she was aware that he could probably kill her with almost no effort. If anything, she was proud and beyond even that she was happy that such a beautiful, awe inspiring man had set his eyes upon her, out of all the women that her realm and the other worlds had to offer. Her thoughts then died a swift death when Loki leaned down again until she could feel his hot breath on her lips.

"I have seen many women throughout my life... but I daresay you are the most beautiful of them all." he whispered, his smile gaining a loving shade momentarily.

Pressing his fingers lightly against her cheeks he now claimed her lips for a kiss which spoke of the unbridled passion he was currently restraining.

"I was not lying when I compared you to a goddess..." he stated, once more pausing the kiss. "The more I taste you, the more I want... you are quite an addictive flower, dearest."

"I had a feeling it was the other way around..."

For a moment she couldn't even tell how she had remembered the words to speak, given that her mind was constantly being overwhelmed by the sensations he was stirring in her body.

"Then tell me that no other man has ever made you lust for him like this... tell me I am the only one you will ever offer yourself to... tell me that you belong to me and that you will never desire any other man."

Smiling lightly as he spoke, Kara now grasped his wrist and moved his hand away from her chin, down to her chest where she pressed his palm to her skin, whilst her other arm settled around his neck.

"Do you feel that? Do you feel my heart beating so strongly that I feel like it'll burst out of my chest? It only beats like that for you... and it always will beat only for you."

When he leaned down after her words, the girl braced herself for another kiss only to be surprised when his lips touched not to her mouth but to her jaw; creeping downward he moved his hand away from her chest only to kiss a trail along her skin – that insanely smooth skin he was quickly growing addicted to – until she felt him stop right above her cleavage. Her expression gained an affectionate shade when she felt him smiling against her chest, his lips resting above her still pounding heart. Allowing his smile to morph into a grin, the prince now leaned back just enough to look into her eyes.

"Know that tonight I am no god... I am only a man. And I am not even a man... I am merely a slave to my heart, and to its desire... a desire which even now delights my eyes."

Sensing her astonishment, he exhaled an amused huff and narrowed his eyes at her in jest.

"Oh, do not worry dearest... you will know what it feels like to be loved by a god. But tonight I will be gentle..."

Blushing at those words, Kara pouted at him.

"Is it really that obvious that it's my first time doing this?" she muttered.

"Your body speaks to me of your inexperience..."

"And... is that a bad thing?"

Lightly tilting his head at that question, the Æsir then smiled once more and placed a soft kiss to her collar bone.

"Why would you think that?" he asked, his lips now trailing along her skin again, on a path toward her left breast. "Love, you cannot imagine how it makes me burn with desire to know that no man has ever seen you come undone as I will see you tonight... to know that no man has ever heard his name coming from your lips as I will hear it tonight – sung on such a deliciously lewd note, dripping with ecstasy."

With his hand creeping up along the right side of her torso as he spoke, Kara found it impossible to utter a single word when his lips brushed over her nipple triggering a soft moan from her throat.

"Mm... you have a lovely voice, dearest. I shall make you sing for me all night."

Before she could even think of speaking, his hand grasped her right breast in a gentle but firm squeeze, while his mouth came crushing down around that bundle of nerves which he had been caressing with his breath until then; along with a taunting suckling motion, he grazed his teeth against the hardened peak of her breast, and his ears delighted in the sound of her mewls just as his body delighted in feeling her squirm beneath him as she grasped at his hair. Unwilling to cease his assault on her senses, his free hand soon crept downwards until he found the edge of her pants.

Given that his position forced her to keep her legs spread around him, it took no effort for him to slip his hand beneath the fabric, his fingers tentatively touching to her lower lips; and he was pleased to see that she was already so wet for him that he would have had no trouble whatsoever to slide his fingers inside. But he would not take her first time with his hand... he would use that part of his body which she had likely fantasized about in recent years. With that in mind he finally allowed her a moment of respite whilst he worked on removing his footwear as well as his pants.

Once more grasping the obstructing fabric covering her from the waist down, he ripped her pants off, along with the panties she had been wearing beneath them. Discarding them to the floor amidst his own clothing, he gave her a few seconds to simply watch him, a satisfied smile playing on his lips as she glanced over his body; he could practically feel her lust and desire growing as her eyes feasted upon the sight before her.

Ultimately reaching down he trailed his hand along her smooth stomach, taking a moment to appreciate the well toned muscles he could feel beneath her skin. She had clearly been training her body, which actually pleased him as it meant she would have more stamina than many of the women he had bedded in the past. With that serving to bring him to a state of full arousal, he settled onto his knees enjoying the sensation of her silky, warm thighs caressing his hips at the slightest movement. Grasping himself he placed the tip of his erection to her entrance, though his eyes moved to her face when he felt the shiver of her body.

"Do you trust me?" he asked.

Smiling at her nod of approval, he motioned forward with his hips until she yielded and the head of his member slipped past her lower lips. Now setting his hands onto her thighs he carefully continued his motion, allowing her to feel every inch of him as he slid deeper into her. It was actually astounding and impressive to realize that she was so tight around him, that he felt his head spinning momentarily. It took only a couple of seconds before he felt that telltale frail resistance. Clenching his jaw to hold back the urge of simply slamming into her all the way to the hilt, he reached out and grasped her hands lacing their fingers together, before he ultimately pushed forward until he felt his member tearing its way through that obstructing barrier.

Allowing her to press her nails into the back of his hands, he now ceased all motion so that she could get used to the feeling of having him inside her whilst her body calmed down from the pain he could so easily see in her teary gaze. Truly he was utterly impressed that she hadn't cried out like every other virgin he had bedded before her, though the way she had bitten into her lower lip at that moment had been enough to tell him that it had indeed hurt her.

"It will never hurt like this again, dearest... you have my word." he now said, freeing one hand and wiping away her tears.

"I know..." she whispered in reply, grasping his wrist and pressing her cheek into his palm.

Right now she was really grateful that his body seemed to have retained a certain shade of cold, as it helped soothe the ache in her groin faster. Ultimately setting her gaze upon his painfully beautiful features, she managed a shy smile.

"You can move as you please, my king..." she stated whilst lightly tugging on his arm.

With a light chuckle Loki now arched his back as he kissed a trail along her skin from her chest to her neck and ultimately pressed his lips against hers, his body weighing down on her curves.

"I would have you say that all the time..."

When she opened her mouth to reply, he thrust his hips forward gaining a moan from the girl instead. His smug grin at her reaction made Kara frown at him just before she laced her arms around his neck, pulling him into a deep kiss. Her victory was short lived when she felt him take control of the lip lock, pushing her head back against the soft bedding, while below his motions now became fuller and slightly picked up in speed. With the pain all but a fading memory by now, her body responded to his by reigniting that flame within her which threatened to quickly engulf and consume her entirely. Instinctively her inner walls twitched around his pulsing member, as though she was aiming to never let him pull out again.

Ultimately Loki felt his own arousal growing so much that he was unable to hold back a pleasure filled grunt, the sound slightly muffled by their kiss whilst his tongue danced passionately with hers. He was pleased that she seemed to be catching on quickly and didn't appear to be afraid of exploring her options, as he could feel by the way her hands now trailed down his back. He would have been quite disappointed, had she proven to be too shy in bed; after all, he liked a woman who didn't just lie down and take it without doing anything to please him in return. His thoughts were suddenly interrupted, however, when he felt her hands going below his waist, her nails lightly tracing over his rump and sending a shiver along his spine... the sheer novelty of that sensation – given that no other woman before her had thought of doing that to him – was enough to tear a surprised moan from his chest. Parting their lips he leaned his forehead on hers and offered the girl a mischievous grin.

"I'm growing quite fond of your boldness, dearest..."

How long had it been since his voice had sounded so strained from the pleasure that was starting to choke him? He couldn't really remember, nor did he care to try too hard. Reaching down he now grasped her smooth thigh and raised her leg just above his hip, before that hand caressed her warm flesh and ultimately grasped her firm backside. Leaning back a bit so he could settle in a comfortable position, he pulled out at a torturously slow pace until only the head of his member was still inside her.

"Now... sing for me." he demanded.

At the very moment when the last word left his lips, he thrust forward with a precise motion, filling her all the way to the entrance of her womb. The way her eyes widened at that sudden surge of pleasure and the surprised but alluring moan that reached his ears were enough to paint a satisfied smile on his expression. He could see lust building up in her silvery eyes and her awareness starting to slip away leaving her prey to her instincts, and the knowledge that he was the only man who had ever seen such a gaze from her only served to further entice him. His own eyes had somewhat darkened with desire by now... he would not seek to deny that she had something which set her aside from any other woman he had ever taken to his bed; perhaps it was the courage she displayed despite knowing of his royal bloodline – whereas all others had been acting in such a humble manner that it had almost been a turn off for him – and that only worked in favor of making him want her even more.

When she tilted her head back at the pace he was now imposing on her body, Loki merely trapped her chin between his thumb and index finger, drawing her gaze back to his face.

"Look at me... I want to see the expression on your face when you come undone beneath me. I want you to see me when I fill you with my seed, so that you'll never forget who you belong to."

"Then... at least..."

Her almost breathless whisper had him lightly narrow his eyes at her before he smiled whilst he briefly halted his thrusts, allowing her to feel the way his member pulsed with desire. When he spoke, his voice had now gained a shade of coarseness that strongly reminded Kara of a growl although his mocking tone was something she had definitely not expected to hear during their intercourse.

"What? Do you want me to tell you that I love you? Do you want me to say that you are everything to me and that I hold no other dearer to my heart? Do you wish to hear me moaning your name as I have you pinned beneath me? Do you want me to shout out for everyone to hear that I will never want another woman for as long as I live? That you drive me crazy and make me crave for you in ways that I never longed for any other woman before?"

Momentarily watching her stunned expression, he inwardly chuckled as he realized that she probably believed he had only wanted her body. Leaning back until he had settled onto his knees, he allowed humor to fade from his features whilst his hands reached for hers lacing their fingers together again, so that she would not slip away from him once he resumed his pace. With his first thrust now came his voice again, his emerald gaze fixed upon her face.

"Do you believe I would bed just any ordinary woman? I would not allow just any pathetic wench to enjoy my body, no matter how beautiful she might be. Dearest, I believed you already knew all of that... it seems I have done a poor job of convincing you that you deserve to have me. So let me show you just how wonderful you are, my delicate goddess."

The only reaction Kara had time for was to tighten her hold on his slender hands before he suddenly shifted to a rough, almost needy pace that soon had her moaning so loud she was sure that the people in the nearby rooms could clearly hear her. Her back gradually arched at the growing pleasure, allowing Loki to enjoy the view of her body jolting at each of his sturdy motions.

"Oh... God..." she breathed out as her mind steadily emptied of all thought.

"I am the only god you need to know, love..." he grinned. "Now say my name..."

"Loki..." she whispered as she struggled to draw breath.

"Louder..." he ordered, with that velvety tone that always made her shudder in pleasure.

Keeping her gaze fixed on his the girl now felt her eyes filling with tears as her arousal took a turn toward climax; she barely even had any awareness left to admire the way his pale skin glistened from the thin layer of sweat covering it, almost appearing to surround him in an otherworldly glow.

"Loki!" she repeated a bit louder than before.

His mischievous smile now preceded his amused but somewhat strained voice as he finally felt that her tightness and moist warmth had brought him on the verge of release.

"Not loud enough, dearest..."

Before she could even wonder what he was up to she felt him thrusting into her violently, his groin pressed to her lower lips whilst the head of his member speared right into the back of her womb. Her orgasm took her by surprise, tearing an ecstatic, pleasure dripping scream from her chest, his name echoing off the walls and the tall ceiling. Along with her own climax, she felt his seed exploding inside her and all she could do was stare into his eyes, her mouth open in a now silent scream as she was much too choked by pleasure to be able to even draw breath, whilst her body shuddered beneath his.

Though he clenched his jaw, Loki was ultimately unable to hold back a groan of pleasure as he felt her inner muscles clenching around him and forcing his body to give her every last drop of seed that it could muster. Once he had started to descend from that peak of satisfaction, his muscles gained some slack which had him slam his hands onto the bedding next to her shoulders to keep himself from falling over her. Momentarily he was actually baffled by the fact that she had gotten him to such a climax that he felt the need to catch his breath, as displayed by the slight panting while his chest heaved just as hers.

Blinking several times to clear her teary eyes, Kara now finally regained enough awareness to grasp the reality of what had just happened. She was still too breathless to speak, but that didn't mean she couldn't smile whilst she basked in the afterglow of their unbelievable intercourse. His reaction was to settle his weight onto his forearms and lean his forehead on hers after he had moved away the strands of hair which had stuck to her face. Grinning at the feeling of her shaky hands on his skin as she wrapped her arms around his torso, the dark haired Æsir finally pecked her lips.

"Rest, dearest..." he said while sliding the back of his fingers along her cheek. "I'm not done with you yet."

"I have... to be awake early... tomorrow..."

Though her breathing had settled to some extent, her mind was slow in disengaging from that pleasant stupor it had slipped into, thus she still struggled to remember the proper words to speak.

"Then you should not have spurred me on." he retorted in jest.

Keeping silent for a minute until she was certain that she'd regained her full ability of coherent speech, Kara now frowned at him as much as she could, given that her arousal refused to die what with Loki having chosen to rest while still inside her.

"Well show me at least an ounce of consideration, as any lover is expected to do."

The way he narrowed his eyes at her as he leaned back somewhat to see her entire face, had her lightly gulp despite seeing his amused smile.

"Are you defying me?" he asked on a tone which mixed his amusement with an incredulous note.

"When last I checked, being your lover doesn't mean I'm your slave. You said you would hold me as your equal, did you not?"

The following silence again made her gulp as she tried to decipher his gaze; ultimately when he leaned back without a word and she felt him slipping out of her, she involuntarily tightened her hold on him while a sudden bout of fear erupted in her chest. Had she angered him? Offended him? Would he just retrieve his clothes and leave? Her mind only settled down from that whirlwind of questions when his chuckle reached her ears.

"Dearest, I do wish you would make up your mind." he retorted. "Do you want to rest or not?"

"And I wish you'd stop being so mysterious all the time."

Her pout was now meant to hide just how relieved she was to realize her fear had been pointless.

"Where would be the fun in that?"

His whisper in her ear was followed by the sensation of his slender arms wrapping around her. With Kara settling in his embrace, the dark haired prince now lovingly kissed her forehead.

"I'm actually impressed that you defied me..." he said while his long fingers now tangled in her hair.

"What kind of women did you have in your bed until now?" the girl retorted.

"Dearest, on Asgard I am a prince... no sane woman would defy me; some for fear that my father would chastise them, others probably for fear that I would send them to the dungeons if they refused me."

"I... suppose that makes sense..."

"Does it?" he asked on an utterly amused tone. "Your social system is utterly different, yet you say that ours makes sense?"

"There are some places on Earth like that as well... this country we're in right now, for example. They have a queen even if she probably doesn't have quite the same kind of ruling power that I'm thinking your father does. The bottom line is that I think this kind of social system is better than saying everyone is free to do whatever they want. A lot of people abuse that freedom and do all sorts of things that would probably get them killed in a place like Asgard."

"Dearest..."

Looking up into his eyes when he interrupted her speech, Kara sighted his amused smile.

"Sorry, I hadn't ranted to anyone in a while." she replied.

Chuckling softly, Loki now leaned to claim the girl's lips for a loving kiss prior to whispering.

"Sleep..."

oOoOoOoOoOoOoOo

_**Location: **__Hotel 41, Westminster, London, U.K._

_**Date: **__March 23, 2005_

Four hours had passed since Kara had fallen asleep and Loki himself had barely slipped into a state of rest, having watched the girl until then. His respite was short-lived, however, as it was no more than half an hour later that he was awakened by a bloodcurdling scream. He had been so utterly startled by it that it took him a moment to become conscious of the fact that Kara was no longer lying at his side, but sitting next to him, covering her face with her hands. Realizing she had likely had a nightmare, the Æsir sat up as well and wrapped his arms around her trembling body.

With the last remnants of the nightmare still lingering in her mind, Kara jolted in surprise at that sensation; her brain, likely still trapped in that terrifying vision to some extent, now triggered her reflex to move away and she only really noticed that she had spoken when the sound of her own frightened voice reached her ears.

"Get away from me!"

Her already weak struggle was rendered useless when Loki tensed his arms to hold her in place.

"Hush, hush... it is I, dearest." he said softly, now stroking her hair to calm her down.

Her reaction was to stare at him for a moment, apparently shocked to see him there, before she lunged forward and latched onto him. Kissing the side of her head, the dark haired prince once more spoke.

"It was nothing more than a dream..."

"It just... felt so real..." she muttered on a shaky tone as she struggled to hold back her tears. "I keep seeing that insane grin on his face... and it scares the hell out of me."

Gently nudging her to lie down with him, Loki now took to wiping away the tears from her cheeks.

"As long as I am here, nothing can touch you." he promised. "Sleep, my love, and I will hold you through the night; I will be there in your dream world... no nightly terror shall dare attempt to frighten you again."

Minutes of silence followed his words, and just when he had started believing that Kara had finally fallen asleep again, the Æsir was startled to hear her voice whilst he felt her fingertips trailing along his left pectoral as he held her against his chest.

"You're still here..."

Arching a brow he averted his emerald gaze to her face, thinking she was saying it in jest, only to be met with the sincerity of her astonished expression.

"Of course I am still here..." he replied. "Did you believe I would slip away while you slept? Do not think of me as some pathetic Midgardian boy."

His offended tone had the effect of making the girl jolt in his arms in surprise, her eyes widening somewhat.

"That's... that's not what I meant..." she retorted, hiding her face against his smooth skin.

The faint tremble in her voice and the way she tensed her arm around his waist brought a taste of regret to his mouth, for scolding her when he knew just how that nightmare had shaken her. How did he know? He had already slithered into her mind, waiting for her to fall asleep, just as he had so many times over the years.

"Then what did you mean, dearest?" he asked, allowing his tone to soften to that particular shade he knew that she loved so much.

"Nothing..."

"Come now, you know you can't lie to me."

When she refused to reply, the prince lightly narrowed his eyes and poked around in her mind until he found what he was searching for.

"You really are a foolish girl, are you not?"

His words finally made Kara lean back to look up at him and she was astounded by the feeling of déjà-vu brought on by the expression on his face and that serious yet amused mixture in his voice.

"Dearest, I could never be upset at you for having the courage to stand up to me. Or did you believe I would prefer a coward as my woman? If I wanted you to act like a slave, I would have made it obvious that you were my servant."

Seeing the relieved shade on her face he chuckled softly and pressed a short yet loving kiss to her lips.

"Now sleep... or should I use my tricks to force you into sleeping?"

Ultimately unable to hold back from sticking her tongue out at him, Kara did now settle down in his embrace, allowing him to lull her into slumber by stroking her hair.

Loki himself slept no more that night, merely watching her and allowing his own thoughts to settle in order. While he wouldn't deny that she was indeed beautiful, he still didn't know if what he felt for her was actual love or merely a temporary infatuation. Yes, he had spoken such sweet words to her, but he had done the same with all the other women before her.

"You are foolish indeed..." he whispered, sliding the back of his fingers along her cheek as she slept. "Offering yourself to someone like me... I will end up breaking your heart, dearest."

* * *

Sooo today's replies for my lovely reviewers :D

1. **Abby **- I'm really humbled by this wonderful review, darling. Thank you so much! I am actually planning to try and focus a bit on Kara and her actual job at S.H.I.E.L.D. after I'll get to the end of the first movie (so when she'll basically think that Loki's dead). The one year span between _Thor _and _The Avengers_ should be enough for me to be able to focus more on S.H.I.E.L.D. for a change.

I also quite enjoy building up my OCs, and having them start off as children in a story just seems more appropriate to me, because the best character buildup you can do (in my opinion) is to just have them grow up; when they start out at an adult age, it's harder to flesh them out because they already should have a certain personality. Having them start out as kids also makes them more relatable to the readers, or so I hope, because they get to see how that character ended up being as he/she is in the main part of the story. So in that, I think that letting the readers journey through life along with the OC is much better than just having them abruptly thrown into the middle of an OC's lifestyle.

But again, thank you so much for this lovely review and I hope future chapters won't disappoint you ;)

2. **LetSparksFly **- Thank you for this heartwarming review, hun, and I'm so happy to hear that the story caught your interest. I won't dwell too much on my reasons for having Kara start out as a child in the story, you can read that in the reply above.

I'll just say that I hope the direction I have in mind for this story will still be interesting, even when I'll have chapters in which you'll get to see parts of or entire scenes from the movies in written form. That's probably the only setback I can think of, when you insert an OC into a movie, that you have to follow the movie's story line at least to some extent, even if you take the liberty to alter various scenes and deviate them from the original ones so as to accommodate your OC into them. So I hope those scenes that will be taken straight from the movies (which will be inevitable) won't bore you too much and that it won't detract from the story's appeal.

I could have probably gone in the direction that I've seen a lot of fics going recently, namely to have some regular girl getting sucked into the Marvel universe through the TV or something like that. But I think it's better this way, and to me it seems more natural to just have an OC that was born and bred in that universe, because I think it makes her more acceptable and possibly more relatable to the readers.

But yes, thank you again for this review and don't be afraid to share your opinions on the story with me any time you see fit - that goes for **Abby** as well ;D

So these are my replies for today. Cheers, lovelies~ ( ˘ ³˘)❤


	6. Entry 5

Sooo my darlings... another Loki-less chapter for your enjoyment, to celebrate the fact that this story has just reached **1.000 views** in just little over two weeks since I started uploading it \(•ㅂ•)/

**I ℒℴѵℯ❤ YOU GUYS** you're the best! ( ˘ ³˘)❤

And don't worry, lovelies, you'll get plenty of Loki later on, I promise ;)

One mention before i let you guys get on with the story... actually... yeah, just one this time xD

I'm going to introduce some of the deleted scenes from the first _Thor_ movie into my story, so for those who haven't yet watched them go to Youtube and do eeeeetttttttt! You won't regret watching them, trust me :D

But yes, onwards my brave comrades, and enjoy~ (=ﾟωﾟ)ﾉ

P.S. Every _Thor/The Avengers/Thor: The Dark World_ character belongs to the wonderful Marvel. I own nothing, except my OCs :)

* * *

**Entry #5**

"_You are foolish indeed..." he whispered, sliding the back of his fingers along her cheek as she slept. "Offering yourself to someone like me... I will end up breaking your heart, dearest."_

oOo

_**Location: **__S.H.I.E.L.D. Helicarrier_

_**Date: **__November 10, 2010_

"Kara, this is ridiculous. I am ordering you to tell me what happened on that mission!"

It wasn't often that Fury got pissed enough to mistreat his desk by slamming his fists onto it, but ever since Kara had returned from that London mission with Natasha, she had changed so much that he would've been blind to not notice it. To put it simply, he could see her steadily slipping back into that depressed state she had regarded them with throughout her first two years aboard the Helicarrier.

"Nothing happened, sir... I'm perfectly fine."

"You're not fine, and you're not a good liar either."

When she crossed her arms and stubbornly looked away, Fury could swear he would have a vein pop in his head. Ultimately heaving a sigh of defeat, he picked up the file on his desk and held it out to her.

"Fine... here's your next assignment."

Sifting through the file, Kara then offered it back to him.

"I can't accept this mission."

"You're getting off this boat for a while, if I have to throw you out myself!" he growled.

When she hesitated for a moment, he straightened his posture and crossed his arms.

"You're a S.H.I.E.L.D. agent... act like one and do your damn assignments."

"Yes, sir."

With that dry retort Kara now moved to her feet and left the Director's office. Once in her room she sighed and discarded the file onto the table. Glancing around she clenched her jaw at the desolation which seemed to gnaw at her from every corner.

Five years... five years and he hadn't come to see her once. He hadn't contacted her in her dreams... he hadn't even been there when she'd woken up the next morning after that night in London. She still had the note he'd left on the table in her room; he'd said that he had some urgent business to take care of at home. Nothing else... not even _I love you_. It probably wouldn't have taken such a toll on her, if he'd at least given her some aiming point in time – no matter how distant – as to when he would be back. When would he come back? Would he even come back at all? Uncertainty was the thing which was slowly killing her on the inside...

She couldn't tell how much time had passed with her just standing in the middle of the room, while the silence slowly tightened around as if trying to choke the very life out of her. But at some point a knock on the door startled her, followed by Coulson's voice.

"Kara? Can I come in for a minute?"

His worried tone made her throat tighten; she didn't like it when she worried him... he had really been the closest thing to a father ever since she'd arrived there. Ultimately sighing, she walked to the door and pushed the command button to open it, trying her best to mentally prepare to be faced with that heart wrenching expression the male seemed to put on whenever he was concerned for her wellbeing... which wasn't by any means a rare happening.

"Can I come in?" he asked again, upon sighting the girl in front of him.

"Sure..." she replied softly, even trying a smile as she stepped aside to let him enter.

Once the door had slid to a close, she turned to face her fellow agent.

"I heard Director Fury shouting at you..."

"It was nothing, really. He keeps having this idea that something happened on that mission in London and..."

"Something did happen, Kara..." he interrupted her. "I know you don't want to talk about it and I don't want to force you to do that. But we all know something happened there; you changed after that mission."

Lowering her head in defeat, the girl then glanced to the file on her table, a painful shadow crossing her features.

"I'm fine..." she finally said. "I'll survive..."

"You don't seem to be fine." Coulson replied on a gentle tone, walking over to her and setting his hands onto her shoulders. "Kara, it's been five years since that mission and you just don't seem to get any better."

When she failed to reply, the man ultimately pulled her into an embrace, startling her as it was something he did so rarely that she could never foresee it.

"You can't hide from the world forever... eventually you'll have to go back out there again."

"No, I won't..." she retorted, trying to be stubborn.

Releasing her Coulson now lightly but reassuringly squeezed her shoulders.

"You're a good person, Kara... and good people can't stand aside while others need them. You have unique gifts; you can use them to help those who are weaker than you... to fight for those who can't fight for themselves. These gifts you have? They're not for free... you owe the world your gifts. I don't know what happened to make you fear the world, Kara, but you owe it to your mother and to yourself to not let that fear bring you to your knees."

With a warm smile, he took that moment to leave so as to let her mull over his words. Once he was gone, Kara again heaved a sigh, her gaze almost involuntarily drawn back to the file lying on her table. She still had mixed feelings about it... she didn't want to go out again; all she wanted was to lock herself in that room and just wallow in her own fear and sorrow... it would've been so much easier than to keep fighting. But at the same time she felt some tiny part of her rebelling and screaming at her to stop holing herself up on that ship; to just get over it and to just get over _him_.

Gritting her teeth, she ultimately grasped onto that budding desire to have a normal life again – at least, as normal as it could be with her job – and violently snatched the file from the table to properly examine it.

oOoOoOoOoOoOoOo

_**Location: **__NYU Department of Physics, New York, U.S.A._

_**Date: **__November 20, 2010_

Trying her best to ignore the fact that all she wanted was to strangle Fury for that assignment, Kara rushed along a student filled hallway carrying a file full of papers and letters of recommendation which Coulson had gathered for her during the past ten days. Upon arriving at her destination – the physics laboratory – she waited until the students cleared the room before stepping inside.

"Good morning, are you Dr. Foster?" she smiled.

Looking up from the papers she was sifting through, the young woman returned the smile and nodded.

"Yes, may I help you?"

She didn't recall seeing the girl in any of her classes, but they'd had new students coming in after the start of the term before, so this wasn't really anything new. Grinning, Kara now stepped forward and held out her arm for a handshake.

"My name is Kara Taylor... it's an honor to meet you. I'm here for the internship..."

"Oh..." Jane replied, finally recalling why the name sounded vaguely familiar. "Oh, uhm... pull up a chair and have a seat. It's great to meet you... I was so impressed with your grades."

Doing as she had been told, Kara seated herself near the desk and handed Jane her file. She couldn't say that she was an expert in astrophysics, but at least Fury had given her a bit of time to study the subject so she wouldn't make a fool of herself. Of course, her grades and college degree had been falsified, as had been the papers and essays she had supposedly written on gravitational anomalies; the only real piece of paper in that entire file was a letter of recommendation from Erik Selvig, whom Kara had learned was Jane's close friend and mentor.

"Wow... this is... is this from Erik?" Jane suddenly perked up upon finding the letter.

"Oh, I sent Dr. Selvig my degree paper and asked him to recommend me a good internship. He was kind enough to read it and he said I should come see you."

Falling silent for a few minutes while she read through the letter, Jane then smiled with a baffled expression.

"Wow... I just... wow! I've read some letters of recommendation from Erik before, but this is just..."

Setting the letter down to calm herself, she then offered Kara a huge grin.

"I think we'll get along really well... it's going to be a pleasure working with you."

Feigning an astounded expression, Kara reached out to grasp the woman's hand and shake it again.

"You... you mean it, Dr. Foster? That's... thank you!"

"Then I'll see you tomorrow morning. I'll show you my progress so far and get you up to date with my equipment. And I'll have enough time to review your work until then, okay?"

"Alright, have a good day Doctor."

Upon leaving the room while Jane's next class had started entering, Kara now sighed lightly and retrieved her cell phone from her jeans. Seeing as the hallways were deserted for the moment, she made her way toward the exit while switching the phone on to call Coulson.

_"Have you met with Dr. Foster?"_

"Yeah, she was... more than excited to have me on board."

_"That's great to hear."_

"Now do you mind telling me exactly _why_ I'm here, posing as an intern in a domain I barely have any knowledge on?"

_"Director Fury got an order from the Council to keep an eye on Dr. Foster. Her research could prove immensely important in the future. They want nothing to leak out to the public, if it's too... sensitive. And you're the only agent who currently looks about the same age as a college student."_

"She studies wormholes, Phil... unless you believe in aliens I don't see what all the fuss is..."

Her voice died out at those words, as she finally realized just what she was saying. Hadn't Loki told her that he came from another realm? And that there were other inhabited places in the universe? At those thoughts her throat tightened and her heart started racing so suddenly that she felt dizzy for a split second.

_"It's not about aliens, Kara..."_ Coulson replied, startling her so badly that she nearly dropped the phone. _"It's about space travel. Can you imagine if we'd be able to visit other planets?"_

"Uh... yeah, sure... sounds great..." she mumbled, her mind now trying to split itself between paying attention to Phil and her own thoughts.

Maybe she could use Jane's research to find Loki... suddenly she felt a rush of euphoria swelling up inside her chest. Now that she had a goal she no longer felt like swimming in the ocean to nowhere... she finally had land in sight.

Realizing Phil was still talking to her, she exhaled a breath unable to hold back a grin from steadily spreading onto her lips.

"Don't worry, Phil... I got this covered."

_"That's... that's great."_ Coulson replied somewhat taken aback by the sudden joy in her tone.

As he removed the phone from his ear, he felt a smile tugging at his lips. Maybe Fury had been right to force her into working again... she sounded better already.

oOoOoOoOoOoOoOo

_**Location: **__Puente Antiguo, New Mexico, U.S.A._

_**Date: **__June 13, 2011_

"Did you get the phase-meter?"

Sighing lightly when the young girl glanced sideways, evidently wondering what the hell that was, Kara shook her head and moved toward the back of the room.

"Never mind... I'll get it."

How in the world had Jane ever accepted Darcy as her second intern, was beyond her. Granted, the girl had been the only other applicant, but still... Darcy's relationship with astrophysics was about as close as the edges of the Grand Canyon. Upon reaching her destination and retrieving the medium-sized item, she turned around only to see that Darcy had followed her.

"Soo... is this it? This toaster-looking thing?"

"Yeah, this is the phase-meter." Kara retorted with a slight smile.

She admitted that, despite not really having a clue about what they were doing there, Darcy was funny and friendly and upbeat. And she tried to help, even if sometimes she ended up causing more of a mess than before she'd offered her assistance. At least Kara herself got along with both Jane and Darcy, whereas the younger girl and the female scientist seemed to find themselves at odds quite often.

"Come on, Jane's waiting for us."

With that Kara moved back towards the staircase leading to the rooftop of their current laboratory, setting the phase-meter on a small table so full of equipment that Kara was actually astounded it could still withstand the weight.

"Thanks..."

Merely smiling at the scientist's distracted reply as Jane continued to scribble in her notepad, Kara then raised her eyes to the starry sky. A mere few moments later, the silver-speckled darkness began to light up in a fantastic dance of pale green and light blue shades. While it wasn't the first time she had seen such an event since working with Jane, Kara still found it to be astonishing on each occasion.

"Jane... it's happening again..."

Grinning, the young woman moved to her feet and rushed over to the laptop set on the table, hooking the phase-meter to it and watching as it recorded the data on the event.

"Right on time. Look... see this accentuated curve? It's the same as the last five recordings."

Ultimately willing herself to tear her gaze away from the beauty of the sky above, Kara glanced over to the monitor while Darcy tried to make it seem as though she understood the images on the laptop.

"The intensity seems to be the same as well..." she replied, pointing to one of the many numbers on screen.

"That's it, I'm calling Erik... he needs to get down here and see this."

Despite it being well past midnight, Jane fished her cell phone out of her pocket and dialed her mentor's number.

"Hi, Erik... sorry I'm calling so late. You really need to come see this stuff; we've had six phenomena until now, all of them identical. I really, really want your opinion on this. So call me tomorrow and let me know when you can get here. Bye."

Hanging up once her voice message had been delivered, she returned to examining the images with the kind of excited grin a child would display at an amusement park. Her enthusiasm and unshakable belief that there was _something else_ out there were the traits Kara had found most endearing about her.

"The duration keeps varying, though..." Jane suddenly said while her smile diminished to some extent.

"Well if your theory's right and these events really are... means of transportation for someone, or something... maybe that's the whole explanation of it."

Smiling at the woman's slightly puzzled expression Kara once more glanced to the sky while the lights began to fade.

"Think about it, Jane. If these... beings... or whatever they are... if they all originate from the same planet, and they're traveling to other worlds... who's to say all the worlds are equally distant from their own? Naturally, some journeys would take longer than others, wouldn't they?"

"You really believe we can find other intelligent beings out there?"

Glancing to the scientist in some surprise at the sudden softness in her tone, Kara again smiled.

"Yeah..."

She hadn't told Jane about Loki or about anything he had revealed to her over the years; just as she hadn't spoken to anyone else about him. But she found nothing wrong with encouraging Jane to continue her research, because it suited her own goal to finally be able to contact the dark haired god who had made her life so wonderful and so horrible at the same time.

"You're pretty sure about that..."

Having almost forgotten that Darcy was even there, Kara barely held back from jolting in surprise at the sound of the girl's voice.

"Well, everyone needs something to believe in... it's what keeps people going." she chuckled.

* * *

Sooo today's replies for my darlings :D

1. **Abby **- First things first... NAILED IT :D (sorry, bad pun xD) I'm so glad you needed a shower after that chapter. It's been quite a while since I wrote any lemons and it's great to hear I still got it in me to write scenes like that, that are actually enjoyable for readers.

Second, I'm so happy you're excited about the idea of the love triangle. It's actually my first time trying something like this, so I can't promise it'll come out perfectly. I can promise, however, that I'll do my best to get over my own bias and give both girls equal shots at winning Loki over to their side. Oh and here's a bit of a teaser for you and all the other lovelies... at some point I might get one more character dragged into this whole Kara-Loki-Vanya affair, but I'm still contemplating that, since it would take some work to make it seem plausible ;)

Thirdly, have you ever considered being a beta reader? I wouldn't mind having a beta's help for this story and I get the feeling you'd do a good job of it. Normally I would've asked you in PM, but since your reviews are written from a guest account, I can't PM you here. Also, no worries about the late reply, I'm quite a night bird myself. In fact, most of what I uploaded for this story so far was written at night xD

But yes, thank you so much for reviewing the last chapter too, darling; it really means the world to me when my readers actually take the time to let me know if they liked/disliked what I uploaded. Sooo give it a thought regarding my suggestion and let me know (either here or on my Twitter) if you'd like to be my _partner in crime_ ;D

So these are my replies for today. Cheers, lovelies~ ( ˘ ³˘)❤


	7. Entry 6

You wanted more Loki? You got it, lovelies~ ;)

This chapter will also be the intro for my other OC, namely the Elf princess Vanya. Hope you guys will like her about as much as Loki does :D

Just one short mention. Since the Noanheim (or however it's spelled) they keep mentioning in the movies doesn't actually exist as a realm in the list I found in mythology, I have replaced it wherever it's mentioned with other realms that are actually in that list of nine worlds.

Now enjoy, darlings~

P.S. Every _Thor/The Avengers/Thor: The Dark World_ character belongs to the wonderful Marvel. I own nothing, except my OCs :)

* * *

**Entry #6**

_"Well, everyone needs something to believe in... it's what keeps people going."_

oOo

_**Location: **__The Royal Palace, Asgard_

_**Date: **__July 03 / 04, 2011_

Six years... six long, torturously lengthy years... sometimes even he couldn't believe it had already been that long since his last visit to Midgard. He could have blamed his father for sending him along with Thor each time there was even the tiniest skirmish in one of the other realms; he could have blamed Thor for dragging him along on his numerous secret escapades – although, had he not been there, the blond god along with their friends would have surely died on several occasions. But ultimately, he knew that he too had wanted to go on all those missions... his mischievous streak would not have given him any peace of mind, had he stayed at home.

Gritting his teeth at those unwelcome thoughts, the dark haired Æsir stepped away from the terrace of his chambers, intending to retrieve his helmet which would complete his official attire. The reason for him to be all dressed up? It was the big day Asgard had been expecting for some years... the day when Thor would finally be crowned king.

In all honesty, he had no desire to partake in what promised to be another long, utterly boring celebration; he had fancied the idea of sneaking back to Midgard... maybe to bring Kara back with him. The only thing to deter him from that decision, however, was the knowledge of how his father would react at seeing the girl.

It was quite hypocritical, actually... for the Allfather to claim that they were just like humans – in the sense that they were not immortal – but at the same time to consider humans as such lowly creatures that he would issue a law to forbid any mortal from setting foot in Asgard. Granted, he himself was being quite hypocritical as well, given that the only human he truly cared for was Kara; he really could not care less if all the other humans burned to death and filled the halls of Hel to the brim, so long as the one he was interested in would survive.

That circle of contemplation he had slipped into, whilst trailing his fingers along the smoothly polished top of his helmet, was only broken when he heard the door opening and looked up to see Frigga.

"You look worried, mother." he smiled lightly. "Is everything alright?"

"Have you seen Thor anywhere?"

"He's probably at the training grounds... he goes there whenever he's nervous. I will send a guard to retrieve him."

Curving her lips into a warm smile, the queen offered a nod.

"Very well... he'd better not be late for his own coronation. And you should not be late either; the guests have all arrived."

Chuckling softly at her mock-scolding tone, he finally retrieved his helmet and moved to follow her out of the room.

"I'll go speak to one of the guards." he replied, kissing her cheek before he started along the hallway whilst placing the helmet onto his head.

Yes, he was faced with what would be a long, tedious day, but fortunately he had prepared a bit of fun to spice things up... oh, he was _truly_ looking forward to that.

OoOoO

"Nervous, brother?"

Glancing to the bulky male standing next to him, Loki lightly smiled at Thor's somewhat forced laughter.

"Have you ever known me to be nervous?" he asked, looking to the younger prince.

"Well there was that time in Muspelheim..." Loki retorted humorously.

"That was not nerves, brother; that was the rage of battle."

"Oh, I see..."

"How else could I have fought my way through a hundred warriors and pulled us out alive?"

Faking a puzzled frown, the God of Mischief now spoke again.

"Uh... as I recall, I was the one who veiled us in smoke to ease our escape."

"Yes, some do battle, others just intrigues." Thor laughed again.

Before Loki could smile at that jesting jab and retort with one of his own, the servant who had approached them to bring Thor another goblet of wine failed to contain his chuckle, drawing the green eyed god's attention to him. With a wave of his hand, he smiled as he watched the servant drop the goblet in fright when the wine turned into snakes which now slithered on the floor.

"Loki... that was just a waste of good wine." Thor stated in some disappointment.

"That was just a bit of fun." the younger sibling replied innocently.

Waving his hand again he dispersed the snakes into smoke, grinning again as the frightened servant rushed to pick up the goblet and retreat hastily, even Thor soon failing to contain his amusement anymore. With one of the guards approaching to offer Thor his winged helmet, Loki again sighted the nervousness settling in on his brother's features.

"Mm... nice feathers..." he said, in an attempt to once more ease Thor's mood.

"You don't really want to start this again, do you... cow?" Thor chuckled, again turning to face his brother.

"I was being sincere..."

"You are incapable of sincerity."

"Am I?"

"Yes."

For a moment they simply stared at each other, after that exchange of playful jabs, until Loki's grin settled into a warm smile.

"I've looked forward to this day as long as you have. You're my brother and my friend. Sometimes I'm envious, but never doubt that I love you."

His words had the effect he was hoping for, when Thor's own features softened away from humor and he felt the Thunder God's large hand settling against the side of his neck over the armored collar.

"Thank you."

"Now give us a kiss."

"Stop it..." the blond Æsir chuckled again.

Once more turning to face the stairs before them that led to the doorway through which they were supposed to enter the throne room, Thor again started fiddling with his helmet.

"Really, how do I look?" he asked.

Glancing to him, Loki briefly contemplated whether to offer a jesting reply but ultimately settled for a more serious one, despite the fact that it wasn't exactly entirely sincere.

"Like a king..."

It was a well kept secret that Loki considered Thor to be about as ready to be king, as a child was ready to wield a sword. Even Fandral would have made a better king than Thor, and that was saying something regarding the young prince's opinion on his elder brother. Inwardly shaking his head to discard those thoughts, Loki took a deep breath whilst silence again lingered between them.

"It's time."

"You go ahead..."

Offering a surprised look to his brother at that reply, the dark haired prince watched as Thor motioned him toward the stairs with his hammer.

"I'll be along, go on."

OoOoO

"Speaking of challenges... has anyone seen Loki?"

Fandral's sudden question had his three friends perk up, as they stood at the bottom of the stairs leading up to the throne, waiting for the reception to end so that the coronation ceremony could begin.

"He'd better not be up to any of his pranks today..." Volstagg muttered. "I'm too hungry to put up with his antics."

"There he is." Hogun stated moments later, pointing to the young prince who had just entered the hall.

"And there _she_ is..." Sif retorted in amusement at the sight of a female approaching him.

"Oh, for goodness' sake... that woman is unbearable." Fandral stated much to his friends' surprise. "Even Loki doesn't deserve that."

When Fandral actually complained about a woman being unbearable, it was definitely something to take note of, given the young swordsman's... affection... toward young maidens. Near the entrance Loki himself had just greeted one of the nobles gathered there, when his eyes widened at the sensation of a pair of arms latching onto his left one.

"Oh, when will you run away with me?"

Gritting his teeth at the female voice, he plastered a charming smile onto his lips before turning to glance at the redheaded Elf now hanging from his arm.

"My dear that would be a most unwise decision... your parents would never forgive me."

Again his jaw clenched when he caught the sound of several female nobles whispering among themselves at the rather improper sight.

"How many times must I tell you that I don't care what my parents say?" she retorted with a frown, tightening her hold on his arm.

Biting back an exasperated sigh, the dark haired Æsir instead allowed his expression to drift away from humor somewhat.

"Vanya, so long as your parents do not agree, I will have nothing to do with being your lover. I will not risk the good relations between Alfheim and Asgard turning bad, simply to sate my own needs." he replied on a low but stern tone.

Sure, he wasn't entirely sincere... he couldn't really care any less about the good relations between the two realms. But at this point he was willing to invoke any reason whatsoever to refuse her, in the hopes of making her release him.

Really, how the heck had he gotten himself into this situation, where he had to count on her parents' continued refusal to let her do as she pleased? Granted, she was a skilled seductress... he assumed that was how she had conned him into her bed in the first place. He would not deny that she was beautiful and attractive, and that her own mischievous streak was highly appealing.

But then she had shown her true colors during his recent visit with Thor and their friends to her home realm... and he had decided – upon understanding that she was trying to manipulate him – to accept her challenge and prove that he wasn't someone to be taken lightly; that he couldn't be controlled in the way she wanted to control him.

And when he had seen that she could so easily make him succumb to her, he had given it a second thought; somehow it felt as if he was getting in over his head and if there was a trait he was most proud of, that was his habit of always being cautious and not biting off more than he could chew. By the time he had tried to reconsider, however, it was already too late... she had become so infatuated with him that he hadn't been able to get rid of her, no matter what he had tried. He had even gone so far as to ask for Fandral's help in the matter, but not even the womanizing swordsman had been able to get her off his back.

And he had understood then, much to his irritation, that he had indeed forsaken caution that time around... he had indeed gotten in over his head. Now, he could only hope that he would manage to think a way out, hopefully without any repercussions for himself.

"And since when do you care about politics?"

Her retort startled him as he had been slipping into that contemplative circle, almost attempting to just block her out in the hopes that she would go away. Before he could reply, however, she pressed herself to his arm and her frown melted into a tempting smile that caught him off guard.

"How about you show me around the gardens instead? Or you could show me around your chambers. I'm bored out of my mind here..." she whispered on the same sweet tone she had first used to seduce him.

As he stared at her utterly speechless, Loki suddenly became painfully aware of her whole being, from her fair features and rosy lips, to the breasts she was currently pressing against his arm. And, much to his chagrin, he found his mind fancying more and more the idea of just slipping away with her and indulging his lust. It was precisely this ability of hers to so easily ensnare him – even if he did sometimes manage to rid himself of her strings before she could fully tie him down – that intrigued him and attracted him to her.

"Loki..."

His body jolted in surprise at the female voice calling out to him and he tore his gaze from Vanya's to see Frigga standing a few steps away from them, a rather consternated expression on her face. Instantly he felt the princess releasing him and had to bite back a sigh of relief, inwardly thanking his mother for the unexpected rescue. When the queen extended an arm as a sign for him to follow her, he nodded to Vanya whilst forcing a light smile onto his lips, and eagerly stepped after Frigga.

"What in the world were you doing, Loki?" she scolded him once they had reached a more secluded part of the hall.

"Forgive me, mother..." he replied humbly, in an attempt to appease her. "Vanya was simply telling me how much she misses having Thor and me around."

His dark brow arched in surprise when the queen shook her head.

"That's not what I meant."

When he narrowed his eyes quizzically and cocked his head to the side, Frigga briefly glanced around to make sure no one was within earshot of them before grasping his arm and pulling him even closer to the wall.

"She was attempting to seduce you."

"Mother..." he began with a slight smile.

Frigga's finger pointed at his face, however, rendered him silent mid-sentence.

"Do not lie for her sake, Loki... that was highly improper; to do such a thing in front of everyone. I should go speak to her father about this."

Grasping the woman's hand and kissing it, he once more smiled.

"You're right, mother... I should have been more cautious. Please forgive me and don't trouble king Idril over such small matters, so soon after his father's death."

Ultimately he had to bite back a relieved sigh when the queen nodded, in spite of her still displeased expression.

"You should go speak to Thor, he was quite nervous when I left him." he suggested, hoping with all his being that she would be distracted from the current subject.

"Alright..." she finally smiled.

Watching her as she departed, the dark haired Æsir allowed his own smile to fade; he would definitely need to have a serious talk with Vanya about proper behavior in public. Sighting the young woman watching him from across the hall, he instead walked toward the throne where Sif and the Warriors Three were standing.

"When are you going to marry her?" Fandral asked in jest, as the younger prince approached.

Arching a brow at that inquiry, Loki then smiled somewhat sarcastically.

"When I see fit to do so." he retorted.

"Don't play with women's hearts, Loki..." Sif warned him. "You might live to regret it."

"Dearest Sif, I am truly honored that you care so deeply for me."

Although she rolled her eyes at his jesting reply, even Sif couldn't fully hide a smile at his charming tone.

"I should cut out that silver tongue of yours." she retorted in jest.

Stepping past the woman, Loki then halted and leaned to her.

"I am sure I can oblige in other ways, if you want me to use my tongue on you." he whispered in her ear.

The sight of Sif clenching her jaw while she struggled to control the blush rising in her cheeks had him chuckle, in spite of the murderous glare she threw his way.

OoOoO

Wrong... that whole day had gone so incredibly... terribly... _horribly_ wrong that Loki still hoped it was all just a bad dream.

During the coronation ceremony, his prank had finally begun when Odin interrupted his speech as he sensed a few Jötuns in the weapons' vault. With the Destroyer doing its job and eliminating them, Loki had believed it would all remain as a bit of fun for him and a good scare for everyone else. But then the inevitable had happened... and everything had gone rolling downhill in a horrendous avalanche, concluding in a way he could not have foreseen even in his darkest dreams.

What had happened?

Thor had been outraged at the idea of Jötuns breaking into Asgard unseen by Heimdall, and of course Loki had not been stupid enough to reveal that he knew a secret path in and out of the realm. Afterwards he had attempted to talk to Thor and calm him down, only to have the Thunder God decide to drag him and their friends to Jötunheim, in order to demand answers from Laufey.

The result?

They would have all died, had Odin not come to their rescue; Jötunheim now considered the peace treaty void and had declared open war on Asgard and all the other realms; and Odin had been so enraged by that, that he had banished Thor to Midgard, stripped of his powers. Normally Loki would have been elated that – despite being the actual cause of all this madness – he had not been the one blamed for it, but at the same time he had not lied in saying that he loved his brother.

And on top of all that, his head was brimming with questions and ideas, some far worse than the others, as he stared at his left hand whilst standing in one of the healing rooms where Fandral and Volstagg were recovering from their wounds. Normally, he too should have been recovering from frostbites like Volstagg; but when that Jötun had grabbed his arm and shattered his armor, his flesh had not frozen, instead turning a deep blue just like the giant's own skin. At times he truly hated his analytic mind which now didn't give him any peace, but kept conceiving all sorts of scenarios.

"We should never have let him go..." Volstagg suddenly said, drawing Loki out of his thoughts.

"There was no stopping him." Sif retorted with a sigh.

"At least he's only banished, not dead..." Fandral replied. "Which is what we'd all be if that guard hadn't told Odin where we were."

"How did the guard even know?" Volstagg asked.

"I told him..." Loki finally stated.

"What?"

"I told him to go to Odin after we'd left. He should be flogged for taking so long... we should never have reached Jötunheim."

"You told the guard?"

Despite the traces of tears still lingering in his eyes, Loki's reply came on an offended tone at the ingratitude they were displaying.

"I saved our lives... and Thor's. I had no idea father would banish him for what he did." he snapped back.

"Loki... you must go to the Allfather and convince him to change his mind." Sif pleaded.

"And if I do, then what? I love Thor more dearly than any of you, but you know what he is. He's arrogant, he's reckless, he's dangerous... you saw how he was today! Is that what Asgard needs from its king?"

Leaving the hall without waiting for a reply, he went directly to his chambers. Upon entering, however, he was almost startled out of his skin as he moved into the bedroom to find Vanya lying on the silky black covers.

"What are you doing here?" he growled, still annoyed by his recent conversation.

Narrowing her eyes in amusement at his irritation, she crossed her legs allowing the skirt to slide aside, revealing part of her thigh.

"Your mother asked my parents to spend the night here..."

"Then you should be in your own chambers."

Briefly tightening her lips in annoyance that he seemed to be playing hard to get that time around, she now moved to her feet and walked over to him.

"I like yours better..." she whispered seductively, her lips brushing against his jaw.

"I'm not in the mood for you." he warned, frowning dangerously at the she-Elf.

"But I'm in the mood for you, my love..."

Momentarily his eyes widened when she shoved her hand in between his legs, grabbing at his crotch. Gritting his teeth at the spark of arousal she instilled in him, the dark haired Æsir now grasped her arm and pulled her off him, throwing her back onto the bed only to find that she refused to let go of him, the inertia dragging him along and forcing him to bend over.

"Don't play with me!" he ordered, now looking down at her.

"What has you in such a bad mood?" she asked melodiously, still trying to con him into doing as she wanted.

When her hand started creeping along his armored torso, trying to find its way back to his waist, he grabbed it and pinned it onto the bedding.

"My beloved brother almost got me killed today." he growled again, baring his teeth at her.

The next thing he knew, her hand settled onto the back of his neck while she forcefully pulled him into a kiss, and her legs wrapped around his waist, the weight overwhelming what was left of his balance until he lost his footing and fell over her onto the bed.

"Then let out all that anger with me..." she whispered, panting alluringly in his ear.

A grin stretched onto her lips at the sound of his defeated sigh and the sensation of his armor fading to nothingness. Finally... that night promised to be much less boring than the day before it.

* * *

Sooo today's replies for my darlings :D

1. **CaptainBrieOnToast** - Darling I cannot tell you how happy and humbled I am that you took the time to leave a little review for each chapter so far. I'll try to address all of them in this reply ;)

First, I am so happy to hear that you're a responsible young lady and didn't read the smutty parts because you're too young for that. I've always been a bit bothered by the fact that the website doesn't provide a way for the authors to censor that sort of chapters in their stories and make them available only to adults. Or maybe I'm just more of an "old timer" in mind and consider that excessive sexuality isn't meant for kids. But anyway...

Secondly I am really delighted to hear that you like the story so much already. And this is just the beginning, there are plenty more neat things to come in future chapters ;D

Thirdly, the previous chapter is actually still set pre-Thor, that all happens before Jane actually found Thor in the desert. I do hope the following chapters won't feel boring, I promise I'll try to keep the conversion of movie scenes into writing to a minimum and only take from them what's necessary for the story. Also, Kara may or may not die at the end of the story, I'm still debating on that even if I already have a sequel in mind. So it's not yet certain that she will actually die, we'll just have to wait and see how the story flows ;)

Anyway, you have nothing to apologize about. Seeing my readers getting excited and rambling about my story gets me excited as well and provides me with a good supply of energy and desire to keep working on the story and give back the love I get from all my wonderful readers. So thank you for all your lovely reviews, I hope you enjoyed this chapter and look forward to the next one, it'll be coming as soon as possible :)

2. **Abby **- Darling you have no idea how happy you made me by agreeing to be my accomplice in driving Loki crazy ;) Really, it means so much to me that you're willing to dedicate some of your time to help me with this story. I'll never be able to repay you as you deserve, although I'm hoping the story itself (and the fact that you'll get to read each chapter before anyone else sees it) will be a decent form of payment.

As for how we should go about this, it's a bit complicated. I wouldn't want you to share you email in a review where everyone can see it. There are a lot of creeps on the internet, I've had dealings with plenty of them even here. I think the simplest way would be if you would register an account here on so we could talk in private messages and share emails there. Another option would be for you to contact me on Twitter where I could give you my email in a private message.

So thank you for the review and for agreeing to help me in my little endeavor. I'm really looking forward to working (and brainstorming) with you, darling :D

So these are my replies for today. Cheers, lovelies~ ( ˘ ³˘)❤


	8. Entry 7

Darlings, I do hope you won't find this chapter too boring; we've arrived at the line where the original parts of my story will start mixing with scenes from the film, so you might recognize a lot of dialogue and setups from the movie. I really hope it won't make the story too boring for you to enjoy, but I have been warning you guys that it will get to this point, soooo proceed at your own risk xD

But enough ranting, enjoy lovelies~

P.S. Every _Thor/The Avengers/Thor: The Dark World_ character belongs to the wonderful Marvel. I own nothing, except my OCs :)

* * *

**Entry #7**

_Finally... that night promised to be much less boring than the day before it._

oOo

_**Location: **__Puente Antiguo, New Mexico, U.S.A._

_**Date: **__July 04, 2011_

"Can I turn on the radio?"

Darcy's utterly bored voice actually had Kara agreeing with her, albeit internally – she wouldn't say it out loud, since she didn't want Jane chewing her head off.

"No." Jane retorted in annoyance.

She and Erik were standing in the van, watching the sky, while Kara was seated on the roof of the vehicle as they waited for the next occurrence which she and Jane had predicted would take place that night.

"Wait for it..." Jane muttered when Erik shot her a distrustful glance.

"Jane, you can't keep doing this."

"The last seventeen occurrences have been predicted down to the second." she retorted, sitting back down and scouring through her notes.

"Jane... you're an astrophysicist, not some storm chaser."

"I'm telling you, there's a connection between these atmospheric disturbances and my research."

When the male looked up to Kara, seeking back up in his attempt to dissuade the young Doctor, the girl shook her head.

"We're not crazy, Erik... everything happened by a set pattern until now."

At those last words she raised her worried gaze to the starry sky inwardly praying that something... _anything_... would happen to prove that she and Jane weren't making it all up.

"Erik I wouldn't have asked you to fly out here, if I wasn't absolutely sure." Jane insisted.

"Jane..." Kara suddenly said, knocking on the van rooftop. "Come look at this..."

Alerted by the urgency in her tone, the scientist and her mentor both averted their eyes back to the sky which was now lit in wavy shades of green.

"I thought you said it was a subtle aurora..." Erik retorted, when they realized that the lights were taking shape and converging toward the ground not far from their current location.

"It was..." Kara replied, staring in shock at the unusual occurrence. "Up till now..."

In a sudden bout of frenzy, Jane practically threw herself into the seat next to Darcy who was their unofficial driver, while Kara leapt inside the van just when the young girl started the engine.

"Go!" Jane shouted, retrieving her camera to film the storm. "Get closer..."

"Right, good one." Darcy retorted ironically.

"Go!"

Upon approaching, however, the vortex hit the ground causing a massive sandstorm much like a tornado.

"Jane...? I think this is close enough..." Kara said, hoping the young woman hadn't actually lost her mind.

What's more, she didn't fancy revealing her abilities to them, although if it came to the need to save their lives, she would have to.

"I am not dying for six college credits!" Darcy shouted, trying to steer the van clear of the whirlwind.

"What are you doing?" Jane retorted, grabbing the wheel and fighting with Darcy over it, trying to drive the van straight into the storm.

"Jane, let go of the wheel!" Kara finally shouted out. "You'll get us all killed!"

Their quarrel came to an abrupt end, however, when they drove into the storm and suddenly ran a guy over. The first to recover from the shock was Kara who jumped out of the van, now that the storm was dying out, rushing over to the man lying on the sand.

"Do me a favor and don't be dead..." Jane muttered, following her.

"I think that was legally your fault!" Darcy complained.

"Get the first aid kit!"

While the young physicist was quarreling with her intern, Kara now took a moment to examine the young man they had hit with the van. At least he seemed to be alright, albeit only dizzy likely from the impact which had cracked one of the van's windows. Her attempt to latch onto his mind and try to find out who he was were rendered useless when he stood and started walking around them, startling her out of her concentration.

"Where did he come from?" Jane asked, apparently having finally grasped the situation.

Her focus was soon drawn to the pattern left in the sand by the storm, however, and she hurried to her knees taking out a pen and her notebook.

"Oh my God, Erik, look at this... we have to move quickly before this all changes." she said, trying to copy the pattern onto paper.

"Jane, we have to take him to the hospital..." Erik protested.

"Father!" Thor shouted, looking up to the night sky.

"He's fine, look at him."

"Heimdall! I know you can hear me, open the Bifrost!"

His words ultimately compelled Jane to look back at him.

"Hospital... you go... I'll stay."

When he whirled around to face Kara who had been staring in shock at him, upon realizing he came from Asgard, she jolted and nearly fell on her back when he pointed to her.

"You there, what realm is this? Alfheim? Vanaheim?"

"New Mexico?" Darcy retorted, pointing the taser at him.

"You dare threaten me, Thor, with so puny a weapon?"

The moment he took a step forward, however, Darcy fired the taser and the shock rendered him unconscious.

"What?" she asked when the other three stared at her in shock. "He was freaking me out!"

"Hel... help me put him in the van..." Erik muttered, moving to his feet.

For the following ten minutes he and Darcy struggled to drag Thor to the vehicle and get him in.

"Next time you decide to taser someone, make sure he's already in the car, okay?" he scolded.

OoOoO

"You don't think this was just a magnetic storm, do you?"

Looking from the window to Erik who had spent the whole afternoon discussing the occurrence with Jane – after they had all managed to drag themselves out of bed following a sleepless night – Kara sighed lightly and made a mental note to never sleep just two hours again. Her mind was moving in slow motion to such an extent that even the others' words were registered in her brain with some delay. Her body felt heavy, as though she was carrying a sack of rocks on her back and her eyes were protesting at the bright light of day, making her feel as if she was hung-over or drugged.

"Look..." Jane retorted. "The lensing around these edges... it's characteristic of an Einstein-Rosen bridge."

"A what?" Darcy asked.

"I thought you were a science major..." Erik retorted.

"Political science."

"She was the only other applicant..." Jane explained.

When Erik began explaining the whole theory on the bridge, Kara sighed again with an amused huff.

"It's a wormhole..." she said, interrupting Erik's speech.

Seizing the moment, Jane approached the male with a picture taken of the night sky from within the vortex.

"Look... what do you see?"

"Stars..." he replied.

"Yeah, but not our stars. See, this is the star alignment for our quadrant this time of year." she said, picking up another picture. "And unless Ursa Minor decided to take a day off, these are someone else's constellations."

Meanwhile Kara and Darcy were now examining the board where they had lined up all the pictures Kara had managed to snap with her camera.

"Hey, check this out..." Darcy suddenly said, pointing to a specific picture.

Approaching them, Jane and Erik stared in shock at the human shaped shadow inside the storm.

"No, it can't be..." Erik muttered, utterly stunned.

"I think I left something at the hospital." Jane retorted.

"You guys go ahead... I wanna cross some data reference." Kara said, heading to the table.

"You sure?"

"Yeah, go on. I'll be right here when you get back."

Once they had left, she again approached the photo board to examine that picture. There was no doubt that whoever or whatever was in that picture had the same body build as the guy they had found in the desert; it seemed to be the same height and even the hair seemed to be of the same length.

"Who the hell are you?" she muttered, rubbing her eyes with a heavy sigh.

Having heard him talk about himself as _Thor_ had definitely gotten her mind reeling; was it truly possible that this guy was the brother Loki had told her about? She also knew she was way overdue with her latest report, but she couldn't just tell S.H.I.E.L.D. about that male before she got to talk to him properly and find out if he was insane or...

Her throat dried up at that thought; what if he was the _real_ Thor? He had called out to Heimdall to open the Bifrost, but no answer had come. Had something happened, for him to end up on Earth? Not to mention he looked nothing like what she had imagined the God of Thunder to be.

Seating herself when her head started spinning again from that incoherent mass of ideas mixed with her general fatigue from lack of sleep, she once again sighed and looked to the picture. She could only try to settle her mind down and wait until Jane and the others returned with their mysterious visitor, so that she could hopefully get some time alone with him and seek some answers.

OoOoO

"What is this?"

The frown on Kara's face soon faded off when amidst the males invading the laboratory she spotted Coulson.

"Phil... what's going on?"

"We need all the research Dr. Foster gathered... we have a situation out in the desert."

His reply jolted her out of that hazy, semi-drunk state and instantly kicked her brain in full awareness. Had they seen last night's occurrence? It was possible that the Helicarrier would have been floating somewhere nearby; its stealth mode made it undetectable, after all.

"What... what do you mean?" she asked, trying not to sound too suspicious.

"Well, we found something that doesn't really look like it comes from anywhere on Earth. We need her research to try and find out what it is... is this all of it?"

"Uh... yeah, but... what about Jane? This is her life's work... you can't just steal it all."

"We're borrowing it; we'll give it back to her as soon as we figure out what that thing is."

Smiling lightly when she relaxed and nodded, the agent then proceeded to dish out orders to his men, urging them to take the utmost caution and not damage any of the equipment while moving it. They were almost done when Jane and the others arrived back at the laboratory.

"What the hell is going on here?"

"Ms. Foster, I'm agent Coulson with S.H.I.E.L.D." Phil replied.

"Is that supposed to mean something to me? You can't do this!"

When she tried to rush over and stop one of the agents, however, Erik ran after her and wrapped his arms around her to hold her in place.

"Jane! Jane, this is a lot more serious than you realize... let it go." he whispered.

"Let it go? This is my life! I... Kara, say something!"

Looking from Jane's pleading expression to Phil's resigned smile, she then approached the young scientist.

"Erik's right, Jane... this isn't something you can handle. Don't get into trouble with these guys, you have no idea what could happen."

Momentarily she spotted a suspicious spark in Jane's eyes, likely triggered by her warning tone.

"We're investigating a security threat." Coulson said, trying to draw Jane's attention before she could start questioning Kara's cover. "We need to appropriate your records and all your atmospheric data."

"By _appropriate_ do you mean steal?" she snapped back at him.

Reaching into his coat he withdrew a check and handed it to her.

"Here... this should more than compensate you for your trouble."

"I can't just buy replacements, I made most of this equipment myself!"

"Then I'm sure you can do it again."

"And I'm sure I can sue you for violating my constitutional rights!"

Looking between them as neither relented, Kara actually found herself slightly amused by the exchange of jabs, despite feeling sincerely sorry for Jane going through this.

"I'm sorry Ms. Foster, but we're the good guys." Coulson said in the end.

"I'm on the verge of understanding something extraordinary! And everything I know about this phenomenon is either in this lab or in this book and you can't just take that away."

At her words one of the agents snatched the notepad from her grasp and threw it into the last van filled with equipment. Again, Erik had to intervene and stop Jane from attacking the agent before she got herself in real trouble.

"Thank you for your cooperation..." Coulson stated on a somewhat awkward tone.

Mere moments after they had left the laboratory, Kara felt her cell phone buzzing in the pocket of her jeans. Fishing it out she sighted a text from Phil, telling her to meet him at the edge of town the following evening without raising suspicion.

"Easy for you to say..." she muttered to herself while Erik led Jane back into the now empty lab to calm her down.

oOoOoOoOoOoOoOo

_**Location: **__The Royal Palace, Asgard_

_**Date: **__July 05, 2011_

"I asked him to be honest with you from the beginning... there should be no secrets in family."

Raising his gaze from the bed where Odin was lying, Loki set his emerald eyes upon Frigga who was sitting on the other side. So much had happened just that morning, and he still had trouble grasping the reality of it all.

By the time he had woken up – fortunately with a much clearer mind than the previous night – and basically chased Vanya out of his chambers, he had figured out a way to test his suspicions. Therefore, he had visited the weapons' vault and particularly the casket Odin had taken from Jötunheim so many centuries before. And then everything had fallen apart... all the beautifully weaved walls of lies that the Allfather had surrounded him with.

When Odin had found him there, Loki had insisted until the king had finally told him the truth... not only was he not their real son, he was in fact a Jötun himself – Laufey's child, whom Odin had taken as a baby from Jötunheim, along with the casket. The only thing to settle his rage had been the shock of seeing Odin falling into the Odinsleep right in front of him.

And now here he was, watching at the bedside of the very man he had called _father_ for so long... the very man who had lied to him all his life.

"So why did he lie?" he finally asked, in reply to his mother's words.

"He kept the truth from you so that you would never feel different. You are our son, Loki... and we, your family. You must know that..."

When the dark haired prince lowered his gaze back to Odin, the queen's expression took on a sorrowful shade. She had known the day would come when Loki would find out the truth; she had thought she would be prepared for it, but to see such pain in his eyes was heart wrenching.

"You can speak to him..." she said encouragingly. "He can hear us even now."

"How long will it last?"

"I don't know... this time it's different. We were unprepared..."

"I'll never get used to seeing him like this... the most powerful being in all nine realms, lying helpless until his body is restored."

"He's put it off for so long, now, that I fear..."

When Loki fell silent, the queen again looked to him.

"You're a good son. We mustn't lose hope that your father will return to us... and your brother."

"What hope is there for Thor?"

"There's always a purpose to everything your father does. Thor may yet find a way home..."

Once more choosing silence, Loki now stood to leave the chamber only to halt when the doors opened and he sighted a row of guards kneeling to him. His first thought had been that someone had somehow figured out that he had brought the Jötuns into Asgard, but what followed was Odin's closest servant bearing Gungnir, the king's spear. When the male knelt and offered the spear to him, Loki stared at him in shock before turning to his mother with a bewildered expression.

"Thor is banished..." she said. "The line of succession falls to you. Until Odin awakens, Asgard is yours."

Again turning to face the servant, he reached out to grasp the weapon and slowly his expression morphed into a smile.

"Make your father proud... my king..." Frigga said softly.

OoOoO

"Allfather, we must speak with you urgently."

Sighting Sif and the Warriors Three approaching, Loki now leaned back on the throne and waited for them to raise their gazes. He had seen off Vanya and her parents just minutes before, and was hoping that the Elf king would not succumb to his daughter's pleas of letting her marry Loki now that he was king of Asgard. The last thing he needed was a wife... what he did need, however, was a way to ensure that his reign would not be temporary. _Until Odin awakens_, Frigga had said... well, he would simply have to make sure Odin did not wake up anymore.

Barely biting back a laugh at the sight of the shocked expressions on his friends' faces, he now chose to speak, albeit on a slightly sarcastic tone.

"My friends..."

"Where's Odin?" Fandral asked as the four rushed to approach the throne.

"Father has fallen into the Odinsleep... mother fears he may never awaken again."

"We would speak with her." Sif replied.

"She has refused to leave my father's bedside. You can bring your urgent matter to me."

Standing as he said that, he allowed the spear to hit the floor lightly, the sound echoing into the immense hall's arched ceiling, making it sound much more powerful and imposing than it should have – a sound fit for the greatness of the weapon which had caused it.

"Your king." he finished the statement on a stern tone.

If there was one thing he would definitely not accept, it was to have those four ungrateful bastards question his right to rule. Glancing to one another, the group was finally compelled to kneel before him despite their suspicion that Loki had usurped the throne taking advantage of Odin's absence.

"My king..." Sif now said, on a slightly mocking tone. "We would ask that you end Thor's banishment."

Exhaling an amused huff, the green eyed god descended the steps beneath the throne until he was standing right above them.

"My first command cannot be the undo the Allfather's last. We're on the brink of war with Jötunheim. Our people need a sense of continuity, in order to feel safe in these difficult times. All of us must stand together... for the good of Asgard."

When Sif attempted to stand and lunge at him, Fandral and Hogun grabbed her arms; after all, there was no point in having Loki send her to the dungeons or outright kill her for attacking him.

"Yes, of course..." Fandral replied with a light smile.

"Good. Then you will wait for my word."

"If I may beg the indulgence of Your Majesty, to perhaps reconsider..." Volstagg attempted.

"We're done!"

While the Warriors Three withdrew almost immediately, Sif continued to stare him down, only following her friends when Loki narrowed his eyes dangerously at her. He knew they wouldn't obey him as their king, but he would be damned if he would accept being mocked by them.

* * *

Sooo today's replies for my darlings :D

1. **CaptainBrieOnToast** - I'll start by saying that I'm really, really happy to hear you love this story so much already. It's always great to hear that my readers are enjoying my work. I am really grateful that you're taking the time to leave reviews and I really hope you won't find the following chapters too boring because of all the movie scenes I'll have to include in them.

As for answering reviews, that's just something I decided to do because it's a way for me to give back some of the love I receive from you guys. So it's my pleasure to reply, even if up to now I mostly did that via PM because - believe it or not - I am a rather shy person, regardless of how I may seem xD

But yes, thank you for another lovely review and I hope the story won't disappoint you from here on, darling :D

2. **WinterHeartSummerSoul (Abby) **- Haha signing up for anything is easier than you'd think; the real challenge is to keep to what you signed up for ;) I'll start by thanking you again for agreeing to be my beta and for all the excitement and ideas you brought in our conversations. I really am lucky and blessed to get to work with you, darling.

Secondly, I am so excited that you like Vanya, I was actually nervous because I had no idea if I'd made her too impulsive or too submissive. I'm trying to keep a balance between that, so hopefully - now that I have your help as well - we'll manage to make her into a great character. And between you and me, I want Kara to win too ;)

But thank you again for your willingness to dedicate some of your free time to my story and for your lovely review. You have no idea how happy it makes me when my readers get excited and emotionally involved in my stories :D

So these are my replies for today. Cheers, lovelies~ ( ˘ ³˘)❤


	9. Entry 8

Sooo no long rant for today, lovelies, other than my request for you to toss me a review and let me know how I'm doing so far. I'm looking forward to hearing opinions from each one of you, whether they're positive or not; I accept any kind of feedback so long as it's delivered in a respectful manner :)

So put aside your shyness and tell me everything that crosses your mind, just anything that you feel like ranting about regarding the story ;)

Now enjoy, darlings~ :D

P.S. Every _Thor/The Avengers/Thor: The Dark World_ character belongs to the wonderful Marvel. I own nothing, except my OCs :)

* * *

**Entry #8**

_He knew they wouldn't obey him as their king, but he would be damned if he would accept being mocked by them._

oOo

_**Location: **__Puente Antiguo, New Mexico, U.S.A._

_**Date: **__July 05 / 06, 2011_

"Got anything new?"

"Not yet, Miss Taylor..."

"Yes, you do... move over."

Wrinkling her nose as if in disgust and ushering the young man out of his seat after checking the screen, Kara took his place and started typing away at the computer, to register the new readings it had recorded; really, where the heck had Coulson found all those idiots?

With thunder rumbling in the sky, the image on the screen momentarily flickered and Kara glanced from the computer to the nearby open space currently housing what she had recognized to be Mjölnir, Thor's hammer. Had Loki not pointed it out to her in a picture all those years ago, telling her of its power and origin, she likely would have believed it to be just some weird item coming from outer space. Of course, she hadn't mentioned that to Coulson or any of the other agents... she still wanted to get a chance of talking to that guy first and confirming her suspicions; and maybe get some answers as to how she could contact Loki, if that male actually proved to be Thor.

Some minutes later she was nearly startled out of her skin when Coulson grabbed her arm.

"You have to get moving, now." he said urgently.

"Wh-what happened?"

"We got a perimeter breach... some lunatic on steroids. He's tearing through security. I got Barton up high, tagging him; we should have him locked up soon enough."

While Phil was trying to drag her along one of the improvised hallways and get her to a safer part of the compound, Kara was listening to the shouts of men all around. Was it possible that it was the same guy?

"Then I'm going there to handle him." she suddenly said.

Pulling herself free from his grasp she turned around and rushed along the corridor toward the place where she could now locate the source of several voices.

"No... Kara, don't!"

"I'll be fine!"

By the time she had arrived there, however, Thor was already approaching the hammer whilst Coulson was talking to Barton on the radio.

"Well that was fast... why aren't you arresting him?" she asked in jest.

"I wanna see this..."

Looking downwards as well, Kara inwardly contemplated whether or not she should tell Coulson who she suspected the guy was... by now she was pretty sure it was indeed Thor, and if he managed to take a hold of that hammer, they would never catch him again.

_'Huh... maybe he's not...'_ she mused, staring in shock when he failed to retrieve the hammer from the stone it had impaled itself into.

The utterly heart wrenching shout that left his chest when he finally realized he couldn't lift the weapon, gave her the shivers and at the same time made her feel sincerely sorry for him. She definitely needed to talk to him now... what in the world had happened to him?

"Alright, show's over... ground units, move in." Coulson ordered into his radio.

Two hours later she was standing with Coulson in a brightly lit room, watching as the agent tried to put enough psychological pressure on Thor to get him to talk and tell them who he was. When his pager beeped, however, and he left the room she said she would stay behind to keep an eye on their prisoner. Finally...

"Thor..." she said, once Coulson had departed.

When he failed to look at her, apparently attempting to pretend that he was someone else, she couldn't help but smile lightly whilst she poked around to just the edges of his mind until she learned his identity... yes, her suspicions had apparently been correct after all.

"I know you're Thor... I know you're Loki's brother... he told me of you."

Her words ultimately compelled him to stare back at her and she saw his composure failing to some extent and giving way to a hopeful shade on his expression.

"You... you're the one he spoke about? You're Kara?"

"Did he talk about me?" she asked softly. "That's nice to hear..."

"You have to help me get out of here... please..."

"I'm afraid my hands are bound... I work for them."

"What are they?"

"We're... we're a group that strives to keep the peace in our world. It might be difficult for you after you got yourself into this mess, but trust me when I say we're not your enemies." she said hesitantly, wondering how to word it so that he would understand.

Her expression after those words now took on a shade of sorrow.

"How is Loki? He hasn't come to see me or even talked to me for six years now."

"I am afraid I'm partly to blame for that... I insisted on having him along every time I went out to help keep the peace in the nine realms, or simply whenever I wanted to go on adventures in secret. But he is well..."

His heart twisted in his chest at those words, as he recalled that it had been his own arrogance and stupid actions which had nearly gotten Loki and their friends killed. Watching him wordlessly for a minute, Kara then sighed lightly.

"What happened, Thor? Why couldn't you lift the hammer? Why are you here, looking like a human?"

Silence followed her questions, while the blond Æsir merely stared absentmindedly at the floor. And just when she was getting ready to ask again, maybe even demand an answer, he decided to speak.

"I was banished because I was too proud and selfish... out of my desire for personal glory, I almost got my brother and our friends killed."

Staring at him in shock at first, the young woman found that she had mixed feelings about his confession; she wanted to hate him for what he had just told her, but at the same time she just couldn't stop feeling sorry for him. It surely was no easy thing to be thrown out of your home, away from your family, into a foreign world.

"I suggest you don't tell them who you really are... or where you come from. I'm not sure my world is quite ready to accept that knowledge." she finally said once she had settled down her emotions.

"Why not?"

Sighing lightly she motioned him to wait a moment and left the room to retrieve a chair which she placed in front of his to sit down.

"I know the people of my realm used to worship you and your family as gods. But times have changed, Thor... people today no longer believe in gods, or in beings that are not from this planet. They wouldn't understand, if you told them the truth... and people fear what they don't understand."

"I always believed the people of Midgard were more intelligent than that."

"A person is intelligent... people are violent, panicky herds of animals that will trample everything in their path, when they perceive a threat. Please... I know I'm asking for much, but trust me. Don't tell them who you are..."

Silence veiled them for a few moments before Thor finally managed a shade of smile.

"I can see why my brother set his eyes on you."

Before she could reply, however, she felt her body jolting in surprise at the sensation of a pair of hands settling onto her shoulders.

"I told you she's different, brother..."

The sound of Loki's faintly amused voice coming from behind her twisted a knot in her throat that warned her of oncoming tears, despite the fact that her lips were now struggling to curve into a grin at the sudden surge of joy coursing her body.

"Loki... what are you doing here?" Thor asked, a hopeful shade in his tone.

"I had to see you." he replied, tightening his hold on Kara's shoulders as if trying to calm her, his tone losing all traces of humor at the same time.

"What's happened? Tell me, is it Jötunheim? Let me explain to father..."

"Father is dead."

Even Kara felt her eyes widening as she turned her head to stare in shock at Loki after his reply.

"What?"

Glancing to Thor at the sound of his shocked and utterly crushed voice, the woman simply couldn't hold back from pitying him as she sighted tears slowly overflowing from his eyes.

"Your banishment, the threat of a new war... it was too much for him to bear." Loki continued. "You mustn't blame yourself. I know that you loved him; I tried to tell him so, but he wouldn't listen. It was so cruel to put the hammer within your reach, knowing that you could never lift it. The burden of the throne has fallen to me now."

"Can I come home?"

"The truce with Jötunheim is conditional upon your exile."

"Yes, but couldn't we find a way..."

"Mother has forbidden your return. This is goodbye, brother... I'm so sorry."

"No..." Thor replied in resignation. "I am sorry. Thank you for coming here."

Again Kara jolted in surprise when the blond Æsir reached to grasp her hand with a slight smile, and for a moment she truly felt as if he was acting like a brother to her.

"You should go talk to him, while he's here." he said softly.

Deciding to blame that fleeting sensation on the fact that she had been poking around in his mind, she once more looked to Loki who nodded silently and motioned her to what she realized was the back area of the compound. When she stood and opened the door she ran straight into Coulson who had been about to enter.

"Where are you going?"

"I need some fresh air... this guy's gonna drive me crazy. He won't say a damn word." she retorted, shooting a fake annoyed glance to Thor.

"Alright, leave him to me."

Stepping aside to let her pass he moved into the room while Kara herself now rushed outside and around the compound. Sighting Loki stepping out of the shadows, she offered him a stern gaze.

"Dearest, I..."

His sentence was cut short, however, when her palm collided with his left cheek turning his head to the side; it had been such an unexpected reaction that he found himself completely caught off guard.

"Six years... _six years_!" she snapped at him through clenched teeth, her voice shaky as she was gradually succumbing to her urge to cry.

"Kara..."

His velvety voice again came to an abrupt halt at the second slap which made his cheek sting; while normally he would have been enraged had a woman done that to him not once, but twice, he found that – upon seeing her – he did indeed realize just how much he had missed her and the more he watched her fair complexion, the more Vanya faded from his memory. Why had he considered the she-Elf beautiful, anyway? All that immortal splendor paled to utter nothingness in comparison to Kara's delightfully fleeting beauty.

Deciding not to try and talk anymore, he settled for offering her a remorseful gaze, waiting for her to calm down.

"Alright... you can talk now." she stated after a few moments of deep breaths.

Rather than heeding her permission, the dark haired male instead just reached out to wipe away her tears while leaning down and claiming her lips for a kiss. She tasted just as sweet as he remembered and briefly he even contemplated stealing her away that very moment and taking her with him to Asgard. Surely Odin would be forced to accept the situation, if Loki presented her as his wife when the elder king awakened – granted, _if _he ever awakened.

Suddenly realizing that he was contradicting himself, he leaned away from her alluring lips. Had he not, just a few hours before, decided that he didn't need a wife? Sometimes he really couldn't even understand himself anymore.

"I'm still not sure if I want to forgive you..."

Her retort snapped him out of his contemplation and brought an amused smile to his lips.

"What if I begged, dearest?" he asked in jest.

"Don't try to use your charm on me... you weren't even there when I woke up. What in the universe was so urgent that you couldn't wait until morning, to say it to my face?"

"During my previous visit, father found out I was gone from Asgard without using the Bifrost. I couldn't be away for too long and risk him sending Thor or other soldiers to retrieve me."

While it wasn't entirely true, he preferred that half-lie rather than telling her that even after all those years he was still trying to sort out his feelings regarding her. And he definitely did not want to even mention Vanya to her... that would have been a sure way to lose her, possibly forever; and for now he was still too intrigued and infatuated with Kara, to let her go.

"As for what I did all this time..."

"Thor told me what happened." she replied on a somewhat softer tone.

When he offered her that puzzled gaze she remembered so well, Kara merely wrapped her arms around his neck in a tight embrace.

"I wanted to punch him when he first said he almost got you killed..." she muttered, having taken advantage of his Midgardian attire to hide her face in his scarf.

Ultimately returning her gesture, Loki now smiled and huffed amusedly in her ear.

"It would have probably been good for him if you had..."

"Well I can't anymore; not now when you just told him your father's dead. I'm sorry to hear that..."

His humor faded away at the sound of her sorrowful tone and for a split second he fancied the idea of telling her the truth. But no... that couldn't happen; she was much too sincere and just to accept something like that and he had no plans of Thor ever finding out the truth. It actually gave him a sensation of discomfort to lie to her, but he had no other choice.

"Thank you, dearest... I cannot tell you how it eases my heart to know that even after all this time you still care so deeply for me." he finally whispered, burying his lips in her silky hair and kissing the side of her head.

Shifting in his embrace, Kara now leaned back until she could look up into those wonderful emerald eyes she had come to love so much.

"I'm never going to see you again, am I?"

Her words caught him off guard and all he could do was stare at her in silence for a few moments, until he finally found his voice again.

"Why would you think that, love?"

"You said you're the king of Asgard now... you won't have time to run away to Earth on vacation and play with me." she retorted, trying her best to smile. "And it would be rather improper for a king to abandon his kingdom just for the sake of playing with a little mortal."

To her credit her tone sounded so genuinely relaxed that Loki himself would have believed her; but he was renowned for not accepting something as fact unless he was certain of it... then again, he didn't really need to even slither into her mind to know that she was faking it. And even if she wasn't – and was actually trying to cut ties with him – he would be damned if he would let her do that.

Upon that thought he once more leaned to her, claiming her lips for a kiss; unlike the previous, this one was so unbridled and so needy and – in a word – so hungry for her, that for a second even Loki himself was taken by surprise at how loosely he had displayed his feelings for a change. Allowing her to part their lips when she indicated such, he instead almost literally tore off the hairpin which held the silky strands together at the back of her head, and tangled his slender hand into the chocolate locks.

It was that action, as well as the odd look in his eyes – one she had never seen before – that ultimately rendered Kara unable to go through with her attempt to free herself from his arms. When he again closed in, she thought he would kiss her again; she was startled, however, when Loki tightened his hand into a fist full of her hair and tugged on it lightly until she was compelled to tilt her head back... it was then that his lips settled not on her mouth, but onto her neck; and then he kissed her skin, and she thought the bolt of pleasure firing through her would make her heart stop... and then he sighed, his breath hot against her neck, and she thought she would melt in his arms.

"Loki..."

Her pathetically weak attempt at reasoning with him was cut short when the God of Mischief tightened his hold on her, making her painfully aware of the well defined torso hidden beneath his snowy shirt; and then he spoke and she felt the vibrations of his deep voice rumbling throughout her entire body, instantly reminding her that he was more than just some ordinary man.

"Hush, you foolish girl..." he retorted somewhat warningly. "You belong to me and I will not allow anyone to deny me what is rightfully mine... not even you, dearest."

Again pressing his lips to her neck, he finally leaned back watching that very spot.

"And everyone will see who you belong to." he stated, moving his gaze to hers.

Offering him an inquisitive glance in return, the girl reached to her neck; the skin felt no different beneath her fingers and yet she could tell by his eyes alone that he had done something. Had he...?

"Did you... mark me?" she asked, a smile somewhat tugging at her lips.

Really, it was such a childish and primitive idea as far as she could tell that she never would have deemed it worthy of his intellect. Rather than replying directly, the Æsir merely reached to trail his fingertips along that spot after he gently pushed her hand away.

"And why would I not mark what belongs to me?"

His hand then swiftly moved to the back of her neck whilst he spoke again, leaning in until she could feel his breath tickling her lips, as if urging her to just forget where they were and tear his clothes off to have him.

"Did I not warn you that you would be mine forever? You can try as hard as you wish to sever your ties with me... but I will _never_ let you go!"

* * *

Sooo today's replies for my darlings :D

1. **CaptainBrieOnToast** - Honey, there's nothing you need to apologize for; your last review didn't seem weird in any way, no worries :D

I'm so glad to hear that you didn't find that chapter boring, I hope this one wasn't boring either. As for how I do it, well that's rather easy. While I write the story, I have the DVD with the movie in the player, and I keep pausing after certain scenes which I then weave into the story. That's how I can so accurately transcript movie lines from other characters (given that I memorized most of Loki's lines without even trying xD) and all the details from the scenes I depict in the story. I don't know if that takes a "great writer" to pull it off, although I am sincerely humbled by that compliment. I think it just takes a passionate fan who happens to have a teaspoon of talent for writing.

I'll admit, it does feel slightly tedious at times because this method takes a movie that normally lasts two hours, and makes it last 5-6, but when I'm truly passionate about something I tend to not really feel like it weighs me down. Whenever you do something you really like, it just can't feel like a burden. Also, I'm very meticulous and precise by nature, so having to be precise in relaying character lines from the movies and whatnot doesn't really bother me.

But yes, thank you so much for taking the time to review the last chapter. I hope you enjoyed this one as well and look forward to the next one ;)

So these are my replies for today. Cheers, lovelies~ ( ˘ ³˘)❤


	10. Entry 9

OMG guys, the story got to more than 2,000 views! I can't... I'm just... wow... just WOW! You guys are wonderful, really I am so baffled that it got so many views in less than a month. So thank you, thank you, **THANK YOU** everyone for loving this story so much and making me so happy :D

Just one little mention, before I let you get on with the story. For those who want to see the mark that Loki left on Kara's neck, there's a link in my profile just down at the end. I tried to describe it accurately, but a picture's worth a thousand words, so go check it out ;)

Now enjoy, lovelies~ (≚ᄌ≚)❤

P.S. Every _Thor/The Avengers/Thor: The Dark World_ character belongs to the wonderful Marvel. I own nothing, except my OCs :)

* * *

**Entry #9**

_"Did I not warn you that you would be mine forever? You can try as hard as you wish to sever your ties with me... but I will _never_ let you go!"_

oOo

_**Location: **__Puente Antiguo, New Mexico, U.S.A._

_**Date: **__July 06, 2011_

"Kara, we need to go."

Startled by Coulson's voice mixed with knocks on the door to her bathroom, the young woman rushed to retrieve her shirt.

"Coming... I'm coming!"

Reaching for a hairpin she settled in front of the mirror again to tie her hair, although her gaze was once more drawn to the left side of her neck. She had spent the last few minutes examining... actually, more like _admiring_... the mark Loki had left behind during the night.

It was really quite beautiful; three black crescent moons growing out of one another in a tight embrace, each of them adorned with a different representation of what she assumed was Jörmungandr, the so-called Midgard Serpent, which Loki had mentioned so many years ago, despite denying that it was his child as the human legends told. The only specks of color in that mark were the golden edges of each moon, as well as the bodies of the serpents – two green and one blue as ice - and their ruby eyes.

Phil would probably be quite intrigued when she would tell him that she got a tattoo... because otherwise she had no way of explaining how she had suddenly ended up with that mark. But at the same time she knew what he would tell her; that she had to make sure to conceal it, because it provided an easy way for her enemies to recognize her. In that regard, she was actually pissed at Loki for doing that to her, but then again she had never discussed her job with him.

"You silly man..." she muttered to herself, trailing her fingers along the intricate design. "As if people nowadays even remember what your symbols are."

Another knock on the door again startled her and she rushed over to open it before Coulson even had the chance to call her a second time.

"I'm ready. What happened?"

"We got readings of massive energy in the desert just now." the male replied, motioning her to follow.

The trip to where they had picked up the energy surge was a short one, although the moment she stepped out of the car Kara felt her jaw clench at the sight of the marks left on the sand which had hardened like rock from the intense heat of whatever energy had hit it.

"Get someone from Linguistics down here..." Coulson said, upon examining the design.

Sighting Kara's intense expression, the agent then moved to stand and approached her.

"Do you know what this is?" he asked on a low tone.

"Why... why would I know what it is?" she retorted, startled out of her contemplation.

Yet even as she lied, she inwardly slapped herself for not telling Phil everything she knew. Thor was there and he had none of his powers... Loki had gone back to Asgard and she didn't expect him back so soon; so then who else had arrived on Earth? Were they friends or foes? What if they were hostile and – by refusing to share her knowledge – she was denying S.H.I.E.L.D. what was possibly their one chance of being prepared?

"Phil... we need to talk about some... things..." she finally stated, taking a deep breath.

He would definitely believe she was crazy, but maybe she could get Thor to back up her story; between keeping Asgard a secret and ensuring the safety of her own world, her choice was clear. Before she could continue, however, the sky above them grew dark with what appeared to be storm clouds which soon gave birth to a whirlwind Kara recognized almost instantly from the night of Thor's arrival.

"I think we should leave..." she warned, grasping Coulson's arm.

"Everyone move back; take cover behind the cars!" he called out, ushering the other agents away from where he estimated that the vortex would hit the ground.

Within moments the energy surge collapsed onto the sands before them, dispersing almost as soon as it had appeared and leaving behind what looked to be a humanoid shaped robot, which Kara estimated was at least eight feet tall.

"Is that one of Stark's?" one of the nearby agents asked.

"I don't know..." Coulson retorted with some annoyance in his tone. "The guy never tells me anything."

Retrieving a megaphone from his colleague, the male now stepped out into the open despite Kara's attempt to stop him.

"Hello. You are using unregistered weapons technology." he said whilst the robot slowly approached them. "Identify yourself."

When the machine stopped and its face suddenly opened up while its body was lit up from the inside, Kara finally moved out as well and grabbed Coulson's arm.

"We have to leave... now!"

"Incoming!" Coulson shouted to the others upon realizing that the robot was about to blast them all.

In a desperate attempt to avoid a direct blast Kara found that she had no other choice but to take to the air with Coulson still in her grasp.

"I'll never get used to this..." he said, gulping as he watched the ground below.

"Don't tell me you're afraid of heights." she retorted amusedly.

Setting him down, she inhaled deeply before turning her gaze to the male agent and removing his sunglasses so that she could look into his eyes.

"Get everyone away from here..."

His eyes widened moments later when he understood the meaning behind her words. Before he could speak to try and dissuade her, however, the young woman wrapped an arm around his neck and placed a kiss to his cheek.

"Just go." she whispered.

Handing him the glasses she put her hands together to crack her knuckles whilst heading out to meet the machine. In all honesty she had no idea how much time she could buy for the others, but any second in which they could put distance between themselves and that monster was worth it. Once Coulson and the agents who were still alive drove off in the cars that had remained intact, the young woman could now start analyzing the situation without having to worry for them.

"Could've used your help about now, Thor..." she muttered in annoyance.

With the robot once more coming to a halt before her, she began mentally planning her moves; it seemed that after it fired that blast ray, it needed a few seconds to recharge the energy, and she planned to make full use of that time frame to find a weak spot provided she could avoid the direct blast. When the machine raised its hand instead of firing the energy beam, she was caught off guard and barely had any time to put her hands up, one of the wrecked car's doors tearing away from its hinges when she summoned it to use it as a makeshift shield.

The next thing she knew she was lying on the ground, her back feeling as if her spine had been shattered after the blow had thrown her several feet away. Her whole body hurt from the impact which had shattered the car door and she was sure that only her quick reaction had saved her life. Her attempt to sit up almost had her screaming in pain, making her realize she had at least a cracked rib, if not a broken one. Gritting her teeth, she managed to roll onto her side and try to get up, her attempt only halted when the ominous shadow of the hostile robot covered her. Looking up to see the machine charging its energy, apparently attempting to blast her at point blank range, she swallowed hard in an attempt to moisten her dry throat.

At least it seemed the rumors were true about life flashing before your eyes when faced with certain death, as her mind replayed images of all the people she knew and cared about, in a way similar to a picture slideshow; her parents, Hannah, her classmates... then Phil and Nick and Maria... Clint and Natasha... Jane and Erik and even Darcy... Thor... and finally her thoughts turned to Loki. And in that moment she almost involuntarily closed her eyes tightly, wishing to hold the image of his tender smile until her last moment.

Then a second passed... and another... and then another... and as several moments ticked by, Kara didn't even know anymore if she was still alive or not; maybe she'd just been lucky enough to have a painless death. With curiosity taking over her she opened her eyes only to see that – although the robot was still bent over, looming dangerously over her – there was no more light coming from the huge open sockets on its face.

_'What are you doing, you foolish woman?'_

The sound of Loki's angry voice growling in her head startled her so much, that her body jolted in surprise making her grit her teeth in pain. Was _he_ the one controlling that machine?

"Loki...?" she finally asked tentatively.

Silence followed her inquiry as the robot straightened its posture and moved to walk past her, while back in Asgard Loki himself had just collapsed onto the throne with a relieved breath. That stupid, utterly _stupid_ girl... how lucky could she be that he had chosen that exact moment to check on the Destroyer, only to find it about to blast her into oblivion? It was only now that he realized she would likely piece together some things, what with him revealing that he was in control of the metallic monster, but at this point there was no turning back anymore. He would figure out a way to explain it to her and she would have no choice but to accept it.

What he could not have foreseen was that – upon seeing the robot heading toward the nearby town – Kara now realized there were innocent lives at stake. It was that thought alone and the knowledge that she was the only one who could at least try to save them, that ultimately got her back onto her feet. Rubbing the back of her hand over her eyes to clear away the painful tears, she took a deep breath to allow her mind to settle down and get used to the pain so that she could make use of her levitation ability to hopefully get to the town early and at least warn the people to evacuate.

OoOoO

"Jane...? I think I found Kara..."

Alerted by Darcy's words the young scientist, as well as everyone else, turned to look at her only to have their eyes drawn to the sky where the girl was pointing.

"That's impossible..." Jane muttered, staring in disbelief.

"Humans never cease to surprise me." Fandral exclaimed with a surprised huff.

"She doesn't look too well..." Sif stated, narrowing her eyes.

When she suddenly stopped heading toward them and instead simply fell out of the sky, Thor was the first to realize that something was indeed wrong with her. His attempt to catch her came too late, the girl crashing at his feet onto the dirt road. Kneeling next to her he instead picked her up and lowered his ear to her mouth to listen for breath.

"Kara... Kara! Are you well?" he asked, lightly shaking her in the hopes that she wasn't dead.

"Stop... stop shaking me... you big ape!" she retorted painfully, coughing from all the dust she had swallowed in the crash.

Holding her side while Thor helped her to her feet with a relieved smile, she was nearly rendered onto the ground again when Jane ran up to her and threw her arms around the girl's neck.

"Oh God, I thought you were dead!"

"I'm... I'm fine, Jane... although my ribs are not."

Releasing her, the young scientist fervently glanced around.

"We have to get you to a hospital... to a doctor..."

Setting a hand onto the woman's shoulder, Kara tensed her muscles in order to get her to settle down.

"Jane... Jane! Listen to me. We have to get everyone out of town... right now."

"We already sent everyone away." Thor replied. "I know what's coming..."

Staring at him for a moment, Kara almost literally melted on the spot, the only thing to keep her standing being the male's bulky arms.

"Oh, thank God..." she whispered.

OoOoO

"We need to fall back... come on!"

Hogun's urgent tone was what snapped Kara out of the shocked state she had slipped into as they watched the Destroyer blasting everything in its path as it made its way along the main street.

"Wait... what's he doing?"

Jane's puzzled inquiry now drew the young woman's attention to Thor who – despite having told them to retreat – was now standing alone on the road, facing the robot. For the sake of his friends she wouldn't answer that question out loud, but his decision was as clear to her as daylight; he was going to let Loki kill him, in an attempt to save their lives.

Just as she had predicted, the defenseless Thor soon took a direct hit from the metallic creature, making even Kara cringe; if she had ended up with a broken rib from an indirect hit, Thor definitely didn't stand a chance without anything to absorb at least some of the impact. With Jane rushing to his side and the robot turning to leave, the young woman was left to breathe freely whilst making a mental note to demand a serious explanation from Loki for all this madness.

And it was then that it happened... she sighted Mjölnir shooting to the sky and making a large arch as it rushed toward the very spot where Thor was lying.

"Erik..." she muttered urgently.

"I see it... Jane!"

Running over he tore the young woman away from Thor just moments before the hammer reached him; before their very eyes clouds gathered in the sky above the town and lightning struck the hammer which had now lodged itself in the young warrior's hand, coursing through the Æsir's body and healing his wounds as well as returning his powers which he displayed by deflecting a blast from the Destroyer with Mjölnir.

"Now you look like Thor..." Kara muttered to herself, an amused smile playing on her lips as she took a moment to examine his armor and the red cape billowing behind him.

With the clouds expanding and taking on an almost black shade, she ushered the others inside the nearest building while Thor himself glanced to her and beckoned her over.

"What is it?" she shouted over the howling winds.

"Can you control matter?"

"Uhm... yeah, I think that's... how you could describe it..."

"Good, I need your help then."

Offering him a puzzled glance, the young woman nearly jumped out of her skin when he again threw the hammer at the Destroyer to hold it at bay.

"With... wi-with what?"

"Can you contain a whirlwind?"

At his inquiry her eyes went wide whilst she glanced upwards at what seemed to be a tornado forming right above them.

"Have you lost your mind?" she asked.

"If you do not contain it, it will cause even more destruction. I can hold it in one place, but I cannot stop it from sweeping everything off the ground."

"You know I've never done this before, right?"

"I have faith in you." he retorted with a smile.

"Well faith or not, I can't make any promises... but I'll try."

"I ask no more than that."

With those words he took to whirling the hammer overhead until his feet left the ground and he shot upwards straight into the heart of the vortex. Moving away so that she could see the entire tornado, Kara now took a deep breath and clenched her teeth to hold the pain at bay.

"Well, here goes nothing..."

She had actually been looking for a good way to test out her ability to encase items or people in the invisible shields she could put up, but this was not how she had imagined her first practice to go down. Waiting until she saw the Destroyer being swept up by the raging winds, she then closed her eyes for a moment to clear her mind and allow it to function at full capacity. The secret she had discovered to be able to do what she did, was that she needed her mind empty of any thought save her current goal. Yes, concentration was her best ally and by now she was actively learning to focus even in the midst of combat.

Upon opening her eyes to again sight the writhing whirlwind before her, she extended her arms and began a horizontal sweeping motion with her right hand whilst the left one remained still, acting as a stopping point for her movements. Slowly but steadily the air before her became blurred whilst the shield gradually coiled around the tornado from the ground upwards. The otherwise steady process faltered only momentarily when her mind was distracted by the pain in her chest; the only downside to using her abilities in combat was that the mind – as powerful as it was – took a great toll on her body as well.

"Hurry up... hurry up..." she muttered when she felt her muscles yelling at the strain.

As if hearing her, Thor just then dived straight at the Destroyer, a powerful blast shaking the shield and making Kara feel as though she had just been hit in the chest by a train. Her lungs emptied of air and her knees ultimately failed to sustain her anymore; fortunately by the time the shield dispersed the blond Æsir had settled the whirlwind whilst the robot fell to the ground, apparently without any hint that it would ever move again.

"Are you well?" he asked, rushing to the girl's side.

"I'm fine..." she retorted amidst heaves for breath.

"You're bleeding."

"What...?"

With her mind gradually kicking back into gear and becoming aware of her surroundings, she now felt the warmth on her lips and trailed a finger over them to find that she had a nosebleed.

"It's nothing... just too much effort. I'll be... what the hell?"

Her eyes widened when the blond god scooped her up in his arms, effortlessly carrying her back to where the others were gathered as if she weighed nothing. Her attempt to protest was met with his stern gaze, which made her pout.

"Thank you..." she muttered in annoyance.

"You're very welcome." he now smiled, setting her back onto her feet.

"So is this how you normally look?" Jane asked.

"More or less."

"It's a good look..."

"We must go to the Bifrost site." he said, now looking to his friends. "I would have words with my brother."

"Excuse me!"

Looking up at the familiar voice, Kara ultimately couldn't contain a smile at the sight of an unharmed Coulson walking up to them from a nearby car.

"Donald..." he said somewhat in jest. "I don't think you've been completely honest with me."

"Know this, son of Coul..." Thor replied. "You and I, we fight for the same cause, the protection of this world. From this day forth you can count me as your ally... if you return the items you have taken from Jane."

"Stolen." Jane retorted.

"Borrowed." Phil stated. "Of course you can have your equipment back. You'll need it to continue your research."

"And Kara needs a doctor, she was injured." the blond Æsir continued, pointing to the young woman.

"I'm fine, Phil... really, it's nothing." she said, shooting a reproachful glance to Thor at the sight of Coulson's worried expression. "Though I think I kinda blew my cover..."

Smiling nervously as she glanced to her trio of colleagues, she then sighed as much as the burning pain in her chest allowed her to.

"It had to happen sometime..." Coulson replied on a resigned tone. "Kara is one of our agents... she was sent here to keep you safe and help with your research."

"Well that's... not such a bad explanation..." Jane muttered with a pout.

"If it's alright with you, I'd like for her to stay here and keep being your intern."

Looking from Kara to Darcy, the young scientist then grinned. There was no way in Hell she would send Kara away; at least she was actually helpful around the lab, unlike Darcy.

"Sure... that will be fine." she replied, earning herself weird glances from mostly everyone around.

"Would you like to see the bridge we spoke of?" Thor now asked, interrupting the awkward moment.

"Uh... sure..."

Setting an arm around her waist, the Thunder God then took to the air ignoring Coulson who had attempted to talk to him again.

* * *

Sooo today's replies for my darlings :D

1. **CaptainBrieOnToast** - Haha, well they say love is blind and that's about as true for Kara as it is for anyone else ;)

But I'm so glad to hear you enjoyed the chapter and really, you're too generous with compliments. I really don't think I have some terrific talent at writing, so it always humbles me and it makes me feel grateful when people say that.

I'm happy you liked how she interacted with Thor; I've tried to not make it overly predictable and not have her act as if she knew him for years, since in all reality they barely met even if Loki told her a lot of stuff about Thor. But the whole brother-sister thing was something I was actually hoping for my readers to sort of get a vibe from, because that was my goal - to make it feel as if Thor would be willing to consider her his sister, at first simply because he knows she's Loki's lover, but afterwards it will just become a self-sustaining feeling due to her personality.

But thank you for the wonderful review, honey, and I hope you enjoyed this chapter as well. The next one marks the end of the _Thor_ movie, after which we'll see how the story flows ;)

2. **AkatsukiShizu3 **- Darling thank you so much for taking the time to leave a review. I wholeheartedly agree with your opinion on Loki, but then again that's how we all like him, don't we? ;)

As for Kara, I'm still not sure if I'll kill her off for good, or not; that's currently still up for debate so we'll see how the story goes until that moment. I might just make the final decision on the spot, when I write the last chapters. So until then I really couldn't give a definitive answer as to whether she'll die or not.

So thank you again for this lovely review and for being addicted to the story; I hope I'll be able to keep you addicted from now on as well ;)

3. **Kate Elizabeth Black **- Oh, don't worry, honey she will find out at some point. After all, Vanya needs to have her moment as well and I always enjoyed plausible and well made drama, so hopefully I'll manage to make it just that.

But thank you so much for reviewing and I'm looking forward to hearing more of your opinions, just as I always look forward to hearing from all my readers :D

So these are my replies for today. Cheers, lovelies~ ( ˘ ³˘)❤


	11. Entry 10

Soooo my lovelies, this marks the end of _Thor_, but not the end of the story. Stay tuned for more adventures... the next few chapters will be sort of "filler chapters" because I want to fill in at least some bits and pieces of the one year span until _The Avengers_ begins.

And I'll drop a piece of candy too, just for you... the filler chapters will focus not just on Kara but on one more character. I'm hoping it's going to be a pleasant surprise ;)

Now enjoy, darlings~ :D

P.S. Every _Thor/The Avengers/Thor: The Dark World_ character belongs to the wonderful Marvel. I own nothing, except my OCs :)

* * *

**Entry #10**

_"Would you like to see the bridge we spoke of?"_

_"Uh... sure..."_

oOo

_**Location: **__The Royal Palace / the Bifrost observatory, Asgard_

_**Date: **__July 06 / 07, 2011_

"Welcome to Asgard."

At Loki's greeting, Laufey's lips curled into a trace of smile; so it seemed the boy was indeed intending to keep his word and let them kill Odin now, while he was in his most vulnerable state. A traitor... but Laufey was willing to trust the Trickster, for the chance to not only be rid of his enemy, but to also regain the casket which Loki had promised to return afterwards.

Motioning one of the other Jötuns to follow him, he left the Bifrost building with Loki whilst the other two giants posted themselves as guards at the entrance, at both sides of Heimdall, whom the young prince had frozen solid earlier. By the time they had reached Odin's chambers, Loki had left them; for his plan to work he couldn't be seen anywhere near them inside the palace.

"It is said that you can still see and hear what transpires around you." Laufey now said, perched onto the bed above Odin, once he had discarded Frigga to the floor after she had killed his companion. "I hope it's true so that you may know... your death came at the hand of Laufey."

Raising his hand in which he had conjured an icy dagger, he suddenly shouted in pain when a blast of energy hit him straight in the back, throwing him across the room. Looking up to see his attacker, the Jötun finally realized his mistake when he sighted Loki pointing Gungnir at him.

By then Thor and the others had just arrived back to Asgard, with Heimdall having managed to break free of his icy prison and kill the two Jötuns on the bridge.

"Get him to the healing room! Leave my brother to me..."

Taking off into the air, he launched at full speed toward the palace; he had no idea what he would find upon arriving there, nor how he would be able to fix things if Loki insisted on fighting. The promise he had made to Kara before leaving – that he would not kill Loki – was still present in his mind, as was the painful and concerned expression on her face. Oh, his brother was such a fool, to have the love and care of a wonderful woman and to so easily discard that... and for what? For a throne?

Meanwhile in Odin's chamber Frigga now watched with concern as Loki stepped into the room, in between her and the fallen Jötun.

"And your death came by the son of Odin." he said.

Before Laufey could utter a word, the young prince again fired the weapon, disintegrating the Jötun king.

"Loki... you saved him." Frigga said with a relieved smile, running into his arms.

"I swear to you, mother that they will pay for what they have done today."

It was in that moment that Thor finally arrived at his father's bedchamber, stopping in the doorway.

"Loki!" he called out.

Watching him in surprise, Frigga then rushed to embrace him.

"Thor! I knew you'd return to us." she smiled.

Her humor faded away, however, when she sighted the stern look on his face as he watched his younger brother.

"Why don't you tell her? How you sent the Destroyer to kill our friends... to kill me?"

"What?"

"Why, it must have been enforcing father's last command." Loki replied as they now stood at either side of the bed.

"You're a talented liar, brother, always have been."

"It's good to have you back. Now if you'll excuse me, I have to destroy Jötunheim."

With that retort the younger prince again fired Gungnir, blasting Thor through the wall. Rushing past Frigga with no intention of stopping to explain anything, he practically ran to the stables from where he retrieved a stallion to ride out to the Bifrost. His only concern at the moment was that his idiotic brother would somehow arrive there before he could get a chance to fully play out his plan.

To his great relief Thor was nowhere in sight by the time he had arrived at the keep; entering, he set the spear into the slot which Heimdall used to activate the Bifrost. With the new energy the entire building soon turned into a massive weapon, now directed at Jötunheim, whilst inside Loki encased the energy tendrils in ice after retrieving Gungnir. He knew Thor would arrive sooner or later, but he would not have that buffoon stop the destruction of that realm.

Indeed, moments later the blond Æsir finally arrived at the Bifrost keep, for a moment unable to do anything but stare at the sight before him.

"You can't stop it." Loki retorted. "The Bifrost will build until it rips Jötunheim apart."

"Why have you done this?"

"To prove to father that I am the worthy son. When he wakes, I will have saved his life... I will have destroyed that race of monsters... and I will be true heir to the throne."

"You can't kill an entire race!"

"Why not?" he scoffed. "What is this newfound love for the Frost Giants? You... you would have killed them all with your bare hands."

"I've changed." Thor retorted.

His reply was followed by Loki approaching him and hitting him over the cheek with the tip of the spear.

"So have I... now fight me."

When Thor failed to react, the dark haired prince again swung the spear, knocking his brother onto the floor.

"I never wanted the throne! I only ever wanted to be your equal." he scowled.

"I will not fight you, brother!" Thor retorted while moving to his feet.

"I'm not your brother... I never was."

"Loki, this is madness."

"Is it madness? Is it? Is it?! Come on, what happened to you on Earth that turned you so soft? Don't tell me it was that woman!"

With Thor failing to answer, Loki narrowed his eyes in what could have been seen as a look of disgust.

"Oh... it was..." he growled. "Well maybe, when we're finished here, I'll pay her a visit myself!"

Biting back his anger at his brother's threat, the blond Æsir finally chose to speak.

"And do you think Kara would approve of what you're doing, brother?" he snapped back, his fist clenching around Mjölnir's handle until his wrist turned white.

"Leave her out of this!" Loki growled, baring his teeth.

"I will not! Do you even know how fortunate you are to have such a woman's heart in the palm of your hand? Why would you cast aside her love by doing such things?"

With Loki now the one who failed to answer, Thor ultimately decided to risk pushing him further in the hopes that he could still convince him to stop before Jötunheim was obliterated.

"You want to know why I won't fight you? Because of her... because I don't know if I can hold back once I start... because she loves you so much, that she made me swear I wouldn't kill you."

Silence followed his words until Loki suddenly burst out into laughter.

"Only you would have a will weak enough to succumb to your feelings for a woman. That's why you would make a poor king and that's actually why you won't fight me. Because unlike you, _brother_, I have a will of steel."

Momentarily allowing his sorrow to show on his face, Thor finally brandished Mjölnir and took a deep breath.

"I'm sorry, Kara..." he muttered.

He knew now that he had no other choice; clearly he could not reason with Loki, so his only option was to take him down in battle, hopefully without having to kill him. Gritting his teeth he now lunged forward aiming to meet his brother head-on.

"That's the Thor I know." Loki now smirked before mimicking the move.

The following minutes were spent in combat; yet whereas Thor was doing his best to hold back out of the desire to not harm his brother, Loki had no such qualms and seemed to genuinely enjoy the battle. Ultimately the blond Æsir rushed at him again, his strength aided by Mjölnir blasting both of them through the wall of the Bifrost and onto the narrow bridge leading to the palace and the city around it.

Thor's attempt to keep Loki from falling off the edge into the raging sea below, however, proved to be useless when the Trickster revealed it to have been only an illusion, instead attacking him again and stabbing him with the spear. Lying on his back with his newly gained wound, the blond Æsir finally gritted his teeth in annoyance when Loki surrounded him with cackling illusions of himself.

"Enough!" he ordered, summoning a bolt of lightning with his hammer.

Fortunately the surge of electricity was enough to disperse Loki's fake images, at the same time casting the younger prince a few feet back onto the bridge and forcing him to drop the spear. Scrambling to his feet, Thor now approached his brother; his first thought had indeed been to kill him, but ultimately he couldn't find it in himself to do such a thing. Instead placing Mjölnir onto Loki's chest to get him to sit still, the elder brother turned to face the Bifrost in which the energy from Gungnir was still building.

Heaving for breath from his struggle with Loki, the Thunder God now desperately tried to think up some way to stop that whole madness before it was too late.

"Look at you..." Loki retorted mockingly while trying to remove the hammer so that he could stand. "The mighty Thor! With all your strength... what good does it do you now, huh? Do you hear me, brother? There's nothing you can do!"

Trying his best to ignore Loki's remarks, Thor finally arrived at the only conclusion he could draw... he would have to destroy the Bifrost, to stop it. Clenching his jaw he extended a hand toward Loki to summon the hammer which he now smashed into the bridge.

"What are you doing?" Loki asked, staring in shock at his brother's actions. "If you destroy the bridge you'll never see her again!"

When his words failed to deter the elder prince from his task, Loki made one last attempt at attacking him only to fail when the bridge blew up beneath them, casting them both into the air. With the Bifrost collapsing and falling into the black hole created by the blast, both princes would have fallen with it had Odin not arrived at that very moment to grasp Thor by the ankle; at the same time Thor himself was struggling to not let his muscles fail as he held onto Gungnir, Loki hanging over the edge, holding onto the other end of the spear.

"I could have done it, father!" he called out, looking up at Odin. "I could have done it... for you! For all of us!"

"No, Loki..."

Ultimately understanding that his Asgardian life was beyond repair, Loki now narrowed his eyes whilst his gaze moved from the elder king to his brother.

"Loki, no..." Thor pleaded when the weird gaze in his brother's eyes made his heart cringe.

Though he had tried to deny his own premonition, the blond Æsir watched in horror as Loki released the spear and allowed himself to fall into the void beneath them. And as the stars before his eyes became blurred from tears, his first thought went to the young woman back on Midgard... how in the universe would he ever be able to tell Kara that Loki was dead?

OoOoO

"My queen, I am so sorry for your loss."

Tearing her gaze away from her son who was now heading to one of the outer terraces of the palace, where his father had withdrawn for a moment of peace, Frigga smiled kindly at the sight of Sif's sorrowful expression, whilst behind them the great hall resounded with laughter and cheerful songs; yes, the realm had been celebrating throughout the night and the entire day, rejoicing in Odin's awakening and Thor's return from banishment. And though they had all been smiling on the outside, the queen knew that her son and even Odin himself mourned the loss of the younger prince.

"How is he?" she finally asked, once more looking to Sif.

"He mourns for his brother. And... he misses her... the mortal."

Whilst the two females were speaking, the young Æsir himself had been talking to his father.

"I have much to learn... I know that now." he said sorrowfully. "Perhaps, one day, I shall make you proud."

"You've already made me proud." Odin replied with a trace of smile on his lips.

With silence lingering between them for a few moments, Thor now took a deep breath.

"Father... is it true? What Loki said... that he wasn't my brother..."

"Yes..." the elder king replied reluctantly. "I kept it from you both, because I wished for you to grow up loving one another as true brothers. Now I am not so sure I did the right thing."

"I believe you did... I know there is always a purpose to everything you do."

Again silence veiled them before the prince spoke once more.

"Father, I know I did not tell you before... but..."

Heaving a sigh whilst wondering how to best word it, he ultimately decided that just stating it plainly was probably the best choice.

"What is it?" Odin asked, once more turning to face his son.

"There is a girl in Midgard... Loki first told me of her some years ago. I met her while I was there and she was of great help to me in stopping the Destroyer. I promised to her, before I returned, that I would not kill Loki; and yet I failed to save him. She has loved him for so many years, father... and... despite what he said before our fight, I want to believe that he too loved her sincerely. She deserves to know what happened."

"And how would you get a message across to her, without the Bifrost?"

"I know your ravens have no need of the Bifrost to fly to other realms. Let me send one of them to her... please."

Rather astounded by his son's pleas, the elder king ultimately gave in to his own feelings and nodded. Turning his back to Thor he held out his left arm and soon, with a loud caw echoing against the palace walls, Huginn – the elder of the two ravens – came landing onto his master's steel bracer.

"Go now with my son, Huginn." the elder king said, turning to Thor while the large bird now perched upon the prince's shoulder. "He has need of you."

"Your will be done, Allfather." the raven finally replied.

"Thank you, father."

With those words Thor left the king and made his way to his chambers.

"What do you request of me, my prince?"

Now standing before the small table set in his chambers, the prince took to writing on a piece of parchment while Huginn settled onto the table as well, to watch.

"I have need of you to fly to Midgard... and deliver this message to a young woman there. Her name is Kara Taylor..."

"I needn't know more, my prince. I shall find her and deliver your message."

With the message done, the blond Æsir strapped it to the raven's leg watching as the ebony bird took to the air and soon vanished into the starry sky stretching from the edge of the sea. He did not even wish to imagine Kara's reaction upon reading that message, but she had to know; it would have been cruel to let her hope for who knew how long, only to utterly crush her later on.

And still... why did he feel like a monster, for being the one to tell her of Loki's death? Was it the guilt which was now gnawing at his mind, because he believed he could have done more to save his brother? Was it because he hadn't told her the whole truth in that letter? Then again... how could he tell her that Loki had basically killed himself? No, if he could help it, then the least he could do was to let Kara keep a beautiful image of his brother in her memory.

OoOoO

_**Location: **__Puente Antiguo, New Mexico, U.S.A._

_**Date: **__July 10, 2011_

"It's so quiet..."

Jane's soft tone was what drew Kara out of her silent contemplation of the night sky, while they waited for the computer to register the new particle data.

"It's beautiful..." she agreed, watching the twinkling specks of silver.

What followed was the sensation of the young scientist's arm settling around her shoulders.

"We'll find them." she said with a reassuring smile.

Over the past three days she had finally coaxed Kara into telling them everything; about Loki, about his visits to her since her childhood, about how her admiration for him had grown into love, even about the mark he had left on her neck. If anything, all that knowledge had only made Jane feel more tightly connected with the young agent, because their reason to search for Thor and his brother was ultimately the same.

"What's that?" Darcy suddenly perked up, interrupting Jane's thoughts.

"What?"

Looking up to where the young girl was pointing, both she and Kara narrowed their eyes in an attempt at discerning just what that odd shadow was.

"It's probably just a bird." Erik retorted.

"Are you sure?"

With the raven landing on the edge of the laboratory's roof where the group had settled, the elder male offered Darcy a pointed glance.

"Okay, okay... it was just a bird..." she admitted.

"Do you think it's hungry?" Kara asked, watching as the raven ruffled his feathers.

"I need no food... some water would be welcome, however."

Throughout the following few moments silence reigned supreme among the group, only interrupted by Erik dropping the stack of papers he had been holding.

"It talked... the friggin' bird just _talked_!" Darcy suddenly blurted out in shock.

Clacking his beak in annoyance, Huginn now looked from her to Jane and then to Kara.

"There is one among you named Kara Taylor... I have a message for her from my prince."

"I... I'm Kara Taylor..." she replied still trying to fully recover from the surprise of it all.

Approaching her, the raven extended his leg waiting for her to retrieve the parchment. Once she had done so, he ruffled his feathers again while the young woman finally managed to get her mind working properly once more.

"Darcy... could you please bring a bowl of water?"

Nodding, the girl left the roof still looking as if she was hypnotized, while Kara now found that she had to fight back her pounding heart. Was the message from Loki? Had he and Thor managed to somehow work out that crazy situation? In a sudden rush of euphoria she unrolled the parchment, only to have her smile die a swift and merciless death as her eyes scanned the few lines scribbled hastily upon it.

_Kara, I am sorry._

_I do not know how else to begin but by saying how sorry I am. I am sorry that I betrayed your trust... I am sorry that I failed to keep my promise... I am sorry that I have to be the one who would let you know what happened._

_You have my word that I tried everything possible to reason with Loki. But what he did was almost beyond repair; my only choice, in order to save an entire race from being annihilated, was to destroy the Bifrost. In the explosion, the energy in the Bifrost opened up a void and... Loki fell from the bridge._

_I am sorry that I could not hold to my word; I would have given even my own life to be able to save him. I know not what to say, that would offer you any comfort and I do not believe there are any words good enough to soothe such pain... but know that if I could, I would do anything to bring him back._

_I hope that you may one day find it in your heart to forgive me for not being strong enough to save him, as I had promised._

_Thor_

By the time she had reached the end of the letter Kara could barely even see from the tears blurring her gaze and overflowing along her cheeks; her chest had tightened as if a huge hand was constricting it in an attempt to crush her and she felt that she could barely draw any air into her lungs.

"No..." she finally murmured, wrinkling the letter when her fists clenched involuntarily.

Lowering her head into her hands, the young woman was ultimately unable to fully contain a sorrowful sob when the pain tore through her heart like the murderous blade of a dagger, shooting straight into the back of her head and making her feel like she wanted nothing more than to just tear her hair out.

"For heaven's sake, please... don't say that to me..." she pleaded in a desperate whisper. "Please... please... please..."

Her begging voice now became almost like a chant, as though she was hoping that her pleas would be enough to undo the earlier events.

"What's wrong? What happened?" Jane perked up worriedly at that unexpected reaction.

Scrambling to her feet, Kara dropped the letter in Jane's lap and left the roof; the only thought her mind could focus on right now was to get to her room and be alone for a while. While Jane took to reading the letter, Erik and Darcy – who had returned with the water in the mean time – looked to each other with concern on their faces.

Upon entering her room and locking the door, Kara found herself rooted to the spot and stunned by her own grief; for a moment she felt so alone that her heart started fluttering in terror, like a caged bird. What...? What would she do without him? As deathly silence veiled her, the only sound she could hear for the following minutes was her shaky, broken breath as she struggled to keep her lungs working through the shock her mind was trying to cope with.

Something... she needed to do something... to let all that pain out somehow, otherwise she would surely lose her sanity. And as fate would have it, her gaze fell upon one of her most recent drawings; she had somehow managed to make it look so lifelike that even she had been surprised. The sight of Loki's charming smile as he stared back at her with those vivid emerald eyes ultimately rendered her to the floor, forcing her to kneel under the weight of her sorrow.

And finally she buried her face in her hands and did the one thing she could still do – she screamed...

* * *

Sooo today's replies for my darlings :D

1. **CaptainBrieOnToast (via PM)** - Aww thank you so much for those kind words. I'm so happy that you enjoyed the chapter so much.

Now about Kara noticing that Loki's _evil_, well I'm not sure how much she'll be able to focus on that even if she did notice it, because you know... she just found out in this chapter that he died. And hearing that the guy you love died, tends to sort of put everything else in the background. But don't worry, that whole _evil_ thing will have to be addressed sooner or later, after Loki returns in _The Avengers_.

As for Coulson... well she will have to let S.H.I.E.L.D. know at some point, but we'll see when that happens. Anyway, I am so thrilled that you enjoyed the latest chapter so much and I hope you enjoyed this one the same.

Thank you for this heartwarming review and I'm looking forward to hearing from you again :D

2. **SuperNaturalxxFreak **- Darling you are much too kind with your words. I am so happy that you love the story and I hope I'll keep meeting your expectations in future chapters as well. Now I'd like to address the Vanya issue, since I'm pretty sure you're not the only one who thinks along those lines xD

Well first of all... if Loki came to you and said "I love you" could you really be 100% sure he was telling the truth? I mean, he is the God of Lies ;) Now Kara does in fact believe him, but the thing is... he wasn't entirely sincere when he said it. I probably didn't manage to get the point across clearly enough, but the fact is that Loki isn't yet sure if what he feels for Kara is actual love, or just infatuation and sexual attraction. And the reason that actually keeps him in that questioning state IS in fact, his realization that he is also attracted to Vanya to some extent. That can confuse a guy, you know xD

Also Vanya is a seductress, as you well pointed out, and her natural skills are also aided by magic. So in a way she's similar to the mythological Calypso who seduced and enslaved men through magic. I have yet to actually delve properly into the whole love triangle but it will come to pass at some point, especially after Kara will get to meet Vanya later on. And I have a huge part for Vanya to play in the sequel as well, so don't worry, she's very relevant to the plot; I had a good reason to make her who she is and to sort of make her one of the antagonists.

So to conclude, thank you so much for the wonderful review, darling. I'm really happy you liked this story as well and I hope the whole Vanya affair won't drag it down too much for you. Looking forward to hearing from you again, honey :D

3. **moonsword17**- Really, you humble me with that compliment. I'm really glad you enjoyed the story so far and I hope the following chapters will make you love it even more, if that's possible. Thank you so much for the lovely review and I'm looking forward to hearing from you again, darling :D

So these are my replies for today. Cheers, lovelies~ ( ˘ ³˘)❤


	12. Entry 11

So, my lovely readers, this is the first of the filler chapters I promised you. And I have a couple of mentions to make before I let you get on with the story.

1. If the ending scene in this chapter gives off the feeling of being rushed or just being "WTF?", don't worry, it's explained to some extent in the next chapter. Mostly I just didn't want Kara moping around too much, because I don't want to risk her coming across as emo/depressive. So that's probably the main reason why the ending scene in this chapter is as it is, plus I'm a very optimistic person by nature so I don't really feel comfortable having my characters succumb to grief for too long... in the end, with everything that happens, life must go on.

I also hope the character whom I decided to drag into this whole madness with Kara and Loki is a nice surprise for all of you. So toss me a review and let me know what you think ;)

2. **I would like to ask everyone to actually read the replies I posted at the end of this chapter for reviews.**

It's very important, darlings, because in one of those replies I have explained some things that I should have explained at the beginning of the third chapter. I didn't explain it back then, and for that I apologize, but I have explained them now. So please do read it, because I've tried to explain why I wrote the third chapter as I did and how my personal life experience and views have influenced the way chapter three is written.

But for now enjoy, my lovelies~ :D

P.S. Every _Thor/The Avengers/Thor: The Dark World_ character belongs to the wonderful Marvel. I own nothing, except my OCs :)

* * *

**Entry #11**

_And finally she buried her face in her hands and did the one thing she could still do... she screamed..._

oOo

_**Location: **__S.H.I.E.L.D. Helicarrier / Malibu, U.S.A._

_**Date: **__September 18, 2011_

"You called, sir?"

Looking up from the file spread onto his desk, Fury eyed the young male entering his office.

"I have." he replied, leaning back in his seat. "Got a mission for you... one that won't require you being 100% up to date with the latest lifestyle. Now, I have an agent that I'm very fond of and..."

When the young male failed to completely withhold his chuckle, the Director arched his brow and offered him a look which many often interpreted as bored.

"Forgive me, sir... you just don't really seem like the kind of man who knows the meaning of that word." he replied.

"Very funny, Rogers... now, the first part of your mission is to meet her. She'll be going along with you."

Pressing one of the buttons on his desk, he now spoke up again.

"Hill, where's Kara? She's..."

"Here... not late." the girl retorted, just then entering the office.

"Never mind, Hill."

Lacing his fingers together Fury again leaned back in his chair.

"Captain Steve Rogers, meet Kara Taylor... one of our youngest and most prominent agents."

Again looking to the young woman, Steve offered a nod and a slight smile.

"Ma'am."

"_Ma'am_... wow that makes me feel like I'm eighty."

His baffled expression now had her chuckle lightly before she crossed her arms and looked him over from head to toe.

"Sorry, I'm just messing with you. So... you're Captain America?"

"That's what they call me." Steve replied, fighting back the urge to shift nervously on his feet beneath her scrutinizing gaze.

"Alright, don't scare him off..." Fury retorted. "He'll be your partner for the Stark mission, after all."

His words ultimately compelled Kara to look back at him.

"The _what_ mission?"

"Tony Stark has recently discovered that a certain branch of his company keeps supplying Stark technology to a phantom-dealer somewhere in Iraq. He asked us to help him put a stop to it, so I'm sending two of my best people with him."

"He asked you? Or did you shove it down his throat?"

At her reply, even Steve failed to completely hold back his amusement, especially since he had been thinking along those same lines.

"Call it what you will... here's the file. You're going to meet him at the address provided there; you're leaving tonight."

"So... just us?" Steve asked, retrieving the file. "Are you certain we can handle anything we might find there? If these people have been collecting Stark technology, they might have quite some firepower."

"This is a scouting mission, actually. You're going there to assess the situation and report back, so we can devise a plan of attack to neutralize that group."

Sighting the utterly unconvinced expression on Kara's face he braced himself for what he already guessed she would say; and she didn't disappoint him.

"You really think Tony's the kind of man to go on a scouting mission? You know how he is, Nick... he'll charge those bastards the moment he lays eyes on them."

"That's precisely why I'm sending you... I don't know how you do it, but he actually listens to you; at least more than he ever listened to me or anyone else."

Arching a brow, the young woman finally sighed and placed her hands onto her hips.

"I have a feeling you're not telling me something, Nick. There's more to this mission, isn't there?"

When the male refused to reply, she lightly clenched her jaw.

"Fine... I'm not in the mood to poke around in your brain right now, so okay. I'll take it on faith..."

"Romanoff will be waiting for you in the hangar; you'll be taking the Quinjet and she'll drop you off at your rendezvous point. Dismissed."

Upon leaving the man's office, Kara again sighed.

"I'll go grab some stuff from my room and meet you at the hangar, Steve." she said with a slight smile.

OoOoO

_'I hope you're watching over me from somewhere...'_

As she mused on that, the young woman reached to gingerly trail her fingertips along the drawing in her hand; the pale skin, the tall cheekbones, the slender lips curved into that charming yet slightly ironic smile. The man who had saved her, who had offered her confidence in herself and her own powers... the man who had then literally taken her life and shattered it into a million pieces.

And, as it happened each time she watched him, the vivid memories of those first few days came back to her mind; the first four days after Thor's message had arrived. She had been utterly destroyed... no one had been able to reason with her; not Erik, not Jane, not even Coulson. She still hadn't told him or anyone else at S.H.I.E.L.D. what exactly had happened, but to her credit she had somehow managed to pull herself out of that swamp of despair, where her grief had chained her.

It hurt... oh, yes, it still hurt so much that even now she believed her heart would just tear in half at any moment; but this time she refused to succumb to her pain. Even if she had basically run away from Jane and the mission involving her – because just the sight of the young scientist was enough to remind her of everything – she refused to go down without a fight. Yes, she had literally begged Coulson to talk to Fury and have him relieve her of her mission to help Jane; yes, not a day went by when she didn't shed at least a few tears for Loki; yes, she had terrible nightmares each night... but she owed it to too many people to fight through her grief and at least try to live.

And, to her credit, she had managed to keep an appearance that she was alright, even if she wasn't; even if she wanted nothing more than to just lie down and die... then maybe she would get to see him again.

Sighing as her mind once more turned to that thought – which occurred too often for her liking – she folded the drawing back up and hid it over the left side of her chest, beneath the black suit which she then zipped up to the base of her neck. Ultimately retrieving her pistol which she placed into the leather pouch strapped to her thigh, the woman finally left the room.

"Ready to go?"

Looking up to see Natasha's encouraging smile as she stepped inside the Quinjet, Kara nodded and walked over to the redhead in the pilot's seat.

"Yeah... so where are we meeting him?" she asked, after they had lightly bumped fists – their usual form of greeting one another.

"There's a rundown, unused airport near his Malibu house. That's where he has a small jet waiting for you."

"Nice... we even fly first class to Iraq. If it's too flashy, I'll punch him though..."

"Oh, I'd love to see that." Natasha chuckled.

OoOoO

_"Greetings, Miss Taylor."_

Raising her gaze from the file at the sound of the vaguely familiar robotic voice, Kara sighted one of Tony's suits walking up to meet her and Steve after Natasha had dropped them off in the middle of the forest.

"Hi, Jarvis." she smiled lightly. "Good to see you."

_"Always a pleasure seeing you as well, Miss Taylor. Welcome, Captain Rogers."_

Nodding, Steve moved to strap the shield to his back while Jarvis motioned them to follow him.

"So where's the boss?"

_"He is expecting you at the runway, Miss Taylor. Everything's ready for your departure tonight."_

"You coming along, J?"

_"I have unrestricted access to Mister Stark's suit, so yes... you can say I will be coming along."_

"Good, at least I'll have someone to help me keep him in check."

It was right as Kara stated that, that the trio arrived to what appeared to be a huge clearing housing a decrepit looking shack right next to what was definitely a runway for small airplanes. On it a small jet was parked, the owner himself standing on the steps leading inside.

"Glad to see you could make it." he greeted them, reaching out for Kara's hand and kissing it. "You're looking lovely, as always."

His gesture actually had the young woman arch her brows in surprise, right before she narrowed her eyes at him with a suspicious gaze.

"Are you high?"

"Hmm that's an interesting concept..." he mused. "But no, I'm just my charming self."

"Right... so J said we're all set to go. Mind debriefing us on the way?"

"That sounds boring; I guess Fury's getting to you after all. Well don't just stand there, we don't have all night."

While he whirled around to lead the way into the plane, Kara and Steve glanced at each other before they both heaved a sigh and moved to follow Tony. This was going to be just great...

oOoOoOoOoOoOoOo

_**Location: **__The Highlands, Iraq_

_**Date: **__September 30, 2011_

"For the last time, Tony... this isn't why we're here!"

Much to Kara's chagrin, not even her most annoyed growl was enough to convince the young Stark to back down.

"And why not? He's a perfectly suitable choice; well mannered, athletic, a little behind on the latest fads but that's not a major setback... oh, and did I mention he's one hell of a patriot?"

Tilting her head back to look up at the ceiling of the small shack they had been sharing for almost two weeks, she placed her hands onto her hips and sighed.

"God, please restrain me before I strangle him." she asked.

The reason for her annoyance? Steve had accidentally walked in on her while she was changing clothes a while back, and had been unable to even look her in the eye for a few days; which had been more than enough for Tony to start hinting that the young soldier should date Kara. But while she did inwardly admit that Steve was a great guy, and good looking to top it, actually making an active attempt at moving on was something she didn't know if she would manage.

The feeling of Tony's hands weighing down on her shoulders snapped the young woman out of her thoughts and made her lower her gaze back to him.

"Look, I know I sometimes come across as a jerk, but..."

"You got that right." she retorted.

Pausing in his speech and huffing amusedly, the male then spoke again.

"But... you're a good girl, Kara. And you deserve a good guy. And I don't happen to know anyone who fits better into the _good guy_ tag, than Rogers."

"Is that your fatherly streak talking?"

Stepping away from her with a sly smile, he nodded.

"Maybe... I always wanted a daughter, anyway. Might as well practice till I get the real thing."

Arching a brow at that, Kara now turned to watch him whilst crossing her arms.

"Are you planning anything with Pepper that I should know about?" she smiled.

The sight of his mysterious smile had her roll her eyes at his antics; while she wouldn't say it out loud, for fear that it would go to his head, Kara did honestly believe that Tony would be a very good father. Deciding not to dwell too much on that thought, however, she instead moved over to the table nearby to again check one of the many maps spread out onto it.

_"Sir, it seems the targets are on the move again."_ Jarvis' voice suddenly came from the phone which Tony had discarded on the table, startling her. _"I am afraid we had to change position as well..."_

"Where's Rogers?" Tony perked up, approaching the table.

_"He is on his way back to you, sir. We were spotted earlier and Captain Rogers suffered a minor injury to his arm."_

Mere moments after the AI's reply, Steve barged into the shack holding his left arm although his hand did little to keep the blood from seeping in between his fingers.

"Here... I got this off one of them." he said, dropping what looked like a weirdly modified rifle on the table.

"Sit down." Kara retorted, rushing to one of the nearby cabinets to retrieve the first aid kit.

Doing as he was told, the young soldier focused on settling down his breathing while Tony took to examining the weapon. His focus was soon diverted, however, when Kara knelt before him and moved his hand away from the injury.

"How the hell is this a _minor wound_?" she frowned at the sight of the gushing slash across his upper arm.

"I told him it was a minor wound... someone had to stay there and keep an eye on the rest of them. If I'd told Jarvis it was this bad, he would've insisted to make sure I got here safely."

"Take your shirt off, I have no way to clean it through your suit."

Removing his azure helmet, the young man then proceeded to comply whilst Kara grabbed a water bottle which she emptied into a bowl before retrieving a sterile cloth from the medical kit.

"Let's hope it looks worse than it is..." she said, once more kneeling in front of him.

"You do know who these weapons belong to, don't you?" Tony suddenly asked.

Looking up at him, Steve nodded lightly.

"The way they fire seemed familiar... why?"

Turning to face them, the scientist held up the weapon and tapped the steel butt pointing to a symbol carved into it; a skull and six snakes growing from its bottom into what appeared to be a floral pattern. The sight of it was enough to get the young soldier's muscles tense, and he grabbed the edges of the crate he was sitting on until his wrists turned white.

"Hydra?" he stated in utter shock. "But..."

"I had my suspicions." Tony clicked his tongue in annoyance.

"Doesn't that mean they somehow infiltrated your company?" Kara asked, despite still focusing on cleansing Steve's injury.

"Indeed." he retorted, gritting his teeth. "This is most definitely Stark technology..."

"We have to report this to S.H.I.E.L.D." Steve pondered. "Fury has to know; if Hydra's involved, this isn't something just the three of us can handle."

"We're not leaving until we're done here."

It was at those words that both Steve and Kara shot a weird glance to Tony; looking to each other briefly, the young woman then stood and placed her hands onto her hips.

"Okay, Tony... what's going on here? There's something more to this mission; Nick didn't want to tell me, but I'll be damned if I'm gonna spend another day going around blindly."

"There's nothing more..."

"Don't you dare lie to me, Stark!" she suddenly shouted in anger. "Isn't it enough that you got Steve injured? What's it gonna take for you to tell us the whole truth? Are you just gonna wait until one of us gets killed?"

Her spontaneous outburst was enough to render even Tony utterly silent. Sighing in an attempt to calm herself a bit, the young woman now spoke again.

"Tony... I could have found out all I wanted until now, and you know that. If I didn't go poking around in your mind it's because I have too much respect for humans, to invade their privacy like that. So I trusted you this far and believed that you and Nick had a good reason to get us out here. But you have to tell us what we got ourselves into... we won't be of any use to you dead; which is what we'll both be, if we don't know what to expect from this mission."

When he turned his back to them and set the weapon on the table, leaning onto it and lowering his head, Kara again looked to Steve, this time with a concerned shade on her features.

"Stark, what is it that you're actually looking for?" the soldier finally asked. "You didn't seem all that surprised to find out Hydra was behind all this. So I think you knew already and you dragged us out here for another reason..."

Deciding to let Steve give it a try at handling the situation, the young woman silently moved back onto her knees to finish cleaning his wound and bandage it. Deathly silence reigned supreme for the next few minutes, until Tony finally whirled around to face them.

"I came here to find someone..." he said at long last.

"Alright." Steve nodded. "Who?"

"He was my friend in college; after we graduated, he decided that he wanted something else from his life, than being a scientist. So he got another job but we always kept in touch. Many years ago I started suspecting that Hydra was either trying, or had succeeded in infiltrating my company, to smuggle Stark weapons technology out of the country. I asked for his help and he came to work for me so he could look into it firsthand. He was kidnapped just two years after I hired him... I have no doubt it was Hydra, and I've been trying to find him ever since. A few times I was close, but they always somehow slipped away. So I had no more options; I had to talk to Fury and ask him to help me. I owe this man my life and I won't be able to live with myself if I don't save him."

A few seconds passed away without any other words, while Steve and Kara watched the Stark male in some surprise; clearly neither of them had expected to hear that from him, knowing his general personality.

"Does this guy have a name?" Kara finally asked.

"I'd rather not say it... I promised I would keep his identity a secret, to protect his family."

For a brief moment, his eyes gave away an odd spark that made Kara frown in confusion; discarding it as a fleeting sensation, she nodded.

"Alright... but I don't see why all the secrecy. You and Nick could've told us from the beginning; we still would have come to help you."

"Well... now you know. I'm... I'm gonna go check on Jarvis."

OoOoO

"Maybe I should go look for him..."

Raising his gaze from one of the maps, Steve briefly settled for watching the young woman as she paced around the small shack worriedly. Checking the phone on the table, he now realized it had been more than four hours since their companion had left; the place where Jarvis was on the lookout was no more than an hour's distance from their shack.

"He'll be alright." he finally said in an attempt to calm her down.

"What if they saw him? Like... like they saw you earlier. They're sure to have doubled their security after that incident. What if they captured him? What if they killed him?"

Standing whilst she spoke in that terrified voice which was deeply unnerving, considering her usual composure, Steve now stepped over to her and trapped her in his arms to keep her from pacing around anymore; it actually caught him off guard when she latched onto him in return and he realized she was trembling.

"I know you care a lot about him, Kara..." he said gently, rubbing her back to try and settle her down. "But he can take care of himself and he had his suit with him; he's not one to go down that easily."

Sighting her pleading gaze when she leaned back to look into his eyes, the young soldier ultimately smiled lightly. Stepping away from her he now moved to retrieve his shield from where he had left it against the wall.

"Of course, if it'll make you feel better... we can go for a walk." he stated, strapping the shield to his back and putting on his helmet.

When he walked past her, on his way to the door, he was genuinely startled when Kara reached out and grasped his hand; turning to look at her he was met with a warm smile that she had never before offered him, despite the tears sparkling in her eyes.

"Thank you..." she said, leaning up to kiss his cheek.

Her gesture, as well as the softness in her tone, was enough to make him gently squeeze her hand and smile back... and it was then that he caught the feeling of a new emotion blooming in his chest. And before he had even fully realized what he was doing, he leaned down – reeled in by those wonderful, mesmerizing eyes – until his lips found and embraced hers.

* * *

Sooo today's replies for my darlings :D

1. **Coriofabulous** - So I've decided to reply to your review first, because I want to take this time to explain some things which I should have probably explained in more detail at the beginning of chapter three. But first things first, thank you for taking the time to review and I'm sorry to hear that chapter left such a bad impression on you.

Now, I can't tell from your review if you actually read the entire chapter, or if you just read my warning from the beginning (which you quoted in the review) and drew your conclusion solely based on that warning. If you did, then I'm afraid your conclusion was drawn in the absence of a pretty important piece of information, namely the chapter itself. Because - if you read the chapter - you'll notice that Loki doesn't actually do anything with her, other than a hug which I frankly do not consider to be improper even between an adult and an underage teenager. Sure, he does certain things that hint towards a sexual nature, but I'll try to explain why I had him do that.

First off, at sixteen I too had a boyfriend who was about three years older than me and we kissed and hugged and all that, even if we didn't have sex. And while legally age still matters in relation to sex, in the collective mentality nowadays it doesn't really matter anymore. And yes, that has led to some bad things in our society, like first graders getting pregnant and so on, and I don't agree with that. But at the same time, so long as actual sex isn't involved, I don't really see what's disgusting about an adult man teasing a teenager, especially when that man looks like he's in his twenties, as Loki does. I would have considered it disgusting if it was an old man taunting a teenager, because yes the age gap there is visually too big to pass it off as a playful joke.

Which brings me back to Loki who is probably the very definition of a tease... do keep in mind that he is the God of Mischief and mischief doesn't only mean nasty pranks; mischief also entails a sexual aspect, which is teasing. Also, what Loki told Kara in that chapter - namely that on Asgard she would've been married at 16 and probably pregnant as well - is something I took from my own country's history. Because no further than 200 years ago, most girls at that age in my country were married already. That has to do with the fact that women can't conceive any more children past a certain age, unlike men, so having girls marry at 16-17 was something natural because the point was for the woman to be able to have as many children as she could/wanted.

I've also tried to illustrate the fact that I didn't want it to go too far while Kara was at that age, by pointing out that her mother was 17 when she married, while being pregnant. So in that aspect Kara is actually better than her mom, because her first time having sex happens at 18 (so when she's an adult legally) and she made sure to not lose her head and end up pregnant with a guy who basically comes and goes as he pleases. These are things you would have noticed if you had actually read the following chapter as well.

But, as I said, I'm sorry to hear the third chapter left such a bad impression on you, even if I do appreciate the compliments about the first two chapters. However, I lean toward believing that you didn't actually read the third chapter after my warning at the beginning, because then you would have noticed that Loki basically did nothing sexual to her. He didn't touch her in any inappropriate places, he didn't even kiss her. Sure, he teased her, but keep in mind that this is a guy whose greatest asset is his "silver tongue" as it's called - namely the ability to use words to cause whatever reaction he desires in others. That's also highly aided by magic and by his appearance which so many women find very appealing; so he doesn't really need to touch a woman in order to tease her and increase her sexual frustration. Most of the sexual tension that Kara had to withstand in that chapter actually came from her own attraction toward Loki and from her own hormones which - as a woman - I know too well to be highly annoying at that age.

Also, if you had read the chapter, you would have likely noticed that at some point Loki decided to "test some of her limits" which basically says in few words, almost everything I said in this reply - he was teasing her and testing her to see how far she could go without giving in to her own desires. That does not imply in any way that he was actually going to sleep with her, if she gave in and tried to steer him in that direction. If you have actually read the chapter, then you should have noticed all these things, because I put them there specifically to make it as obvious as I could that I had no intention of taking it any further than verbal taunts.

If I didn't manage to make it obvious enough, I apologize but now you and everyone else who reads this story know why I wrote that chapter as I did and what influenced me to write it as such. So again, thank you for reviewing and I'm sorry that chapter scared you off. Maybe, after reading my explanation you'll get another view on the chapter and hopefully decide to give the story a chance, after all.

2. **Chocoworlds own female god **- Darling you utterly humble me with your kind words. Far from me to consider that my story is the best out there, but hopefully it's among the better ones on the website. I'm so glad to hear that you liked how I portrayed each character, given that I'm always somewhat nervous about canon characters, because they're much harder to keep in character than an OC.

But I'm glad to hear I managed to capture different sides of the same character, because that was my intention; to show that they have more than one layer to them - especially Loki, who in the first _Thor_ movie was forcefully made to be a villain, when he has so many more layers to his complex personality.

So thank you so much for this heartwarming review and I'm looking forward to hearing from you again :D

3. **SuperNaturalxxFreak **- Aww honey, I'm so sorry for breaking your heart. I swear it wasn't my intention... Loki made me do it xD

But joke aside, I'm so happy to hear the chapter met your expectations. I hope this one will meet them as well and that the ending was a nice surprise. Thank you so much for this lovely review, darling. I'm looking forward to hearing from you again :D

So these are my replies for today. Cheers, lovelies~ ( ˘ ³˘)❤


	13. Entry 12

Soooo, so, so, so, so... it seems that the whole Steve/Kara thing is evolving into its own arc. I'd first thought I'd be done with it in one chapter, maybe two... now I'm already working on the fifth filler chapter and I'm not yet sure I'll be able to finish this arc in that chapter. I'm just having so many ideas to add more layers to Kara and Steve's personalities, that I fear this arc will become quite a big thing in the story.

But I'm hoping you guys enjoy it - this is pure original story that you're reading, concerning this mission and the whole Steve/Kara affair. So I hope you like the break from canon universe, because you'll get more than enough of it soon... I still have two more movies to cover in this story ;)

Anyway, I'll let you enjoy this installment darlings... and do toss me a review, they're always much appreciated :D

P.S. Every _Thor/The Avengers/Thor: The Dark World_ character belongs to the wonderful Marvel. I own nothing, except my OCs :)

* * *

**Entry #12**

_And before he had even fully realized what he was doing, he leaned down – reeled in by those wonderful, mesmerizing eyes – until his lips found and embraced hers._

oOo

_**Location: **__Unknown_

_**Date: **__Unknown_

_Drip... drip... drip..._

_'Dearest...'_

_Drip... drip... drip..._

_'Dearest, open your eyes...'_

_Drip... drip... drip..._

Darkness... nothing but an empty void staring back at her...

_Drip... drip... drip..._

There it was again; that vaguely familiar sound... but what was it? And that voice... that soft, velvety voice... that warm and loving tone...

_'Dearest...'_

She couldn't see a thing, but somehow she was aware that she had turned around only to find nothing there but the same darkness... in front of her... behind her... above her... anywhere... everywhere... embracing her... choking her... crushing her...

_'Loki...?' _she finally whispered, not daring to believe her own ears.

_Drip... drip... drip..._

_'Look at me, dearest...'_

_'Loki!' _she called out, a resounding note of despair in her tone._ 'Where are you? I can't see a thing...'_

Her heart cringed in delight and in pain at the same time, when that so familiar sound of an amused huff reached her... as if he was right there... right behind her... his lips no further than an inch from her ear...

_'That's because you won't open your eyes, love...'_

_Drip... drip... drip..._

_'My eyes are open...' _she retorted, annoyed by that repetitive sound she couldn't place.

_'No... not yet... open your eyes, dearest...'_

When she blindly reached out trying to find something... anything... that would give her the slightest clue as to where she was she now caught the sound of that growled breath he used to give away whenever he was annoyed... she could practically picture him narrowing his eyes at her... pinning her down with that pointed gaze of his...

_'Stop searching for me!'_ he now demanded, and for a moment the imposing, almost regal shade in his voice made her freeze.

But then his voice melted just like snow under the sun, and she again recognized that loving and seductive tone he had so many times used on her.

_'Just open your eyes... I'm right here...'_

Lowering her arms, she tightly closed her eyes and opened them again, only to find herself in that same dark void.

_'Kara, open your eyes...'_ came Loki's annoyed tone, this time tainted with a sense of urgency that sent a cold shiver down her spine.

Suddenly her eyes protested when a bright light illuminated her in an odd way, like a huge lamp had just been lit behind her... while it made the outline of her body shine, the rays seemed unable to penetrate the darkness before her.

_'Don't turn around!'_ he ordered when she tried to look over her shoulder. _'Open your eyes... open them...'_

_'You're really here... aren't you?'_ she asked, making no more attempts at disobeying him.

And then she felt it... he wasn't touching her at all but she could feel him there... right behind her... a shaky breath left her... her lips now tried to move of their own accord and paint a smile on her expression... and she felt tears trailing along her cheeks...

_'Open your eyes...'_ he whispered.

This time she could feel his breath ghosting over her ear... and then the back of his slender finger sliding along her left cheek, wiping away her tears...

_Drip... drip... drip..._

There it was again... that blasted sound... what the hell was it?!

_Drip... drip... drip..._

_Drip... drip... drip..._

_'Open your eyes, dearest...'_ he said again, and she could swear she heard a pleading tone in his voice, before that urgent and weird note returned to mix with his velvety voice. _'Do it... do it now!'_

_'Loki... what's happen...?'_

Out of reflex, she gave in to curiosity and again tried to turn around only to have her voice die out... the image she caught a fleeting glimpse of, was one that she was sure she would never forget: at first she thought she was looking straight into the sun, had it not been for the weird blue shade in that blinding glow... and then she spotted a dark figure emerging from the very core of that light...

And Loki indeed standing behind her... the same Loki that she remembered, the only difference she could notice being that his hair seemed longer than before. And he was looking over his shoulder at the approaching entity.

It was when he turned around and saw her looking at him, that Kara first sighted something she had never believed possible... the sheer terror in his gaze that suddenly made her whole body shake in fear.

_'No!'_ he cried out on such a heart wrenching tone, that she could have burst into tears right then and there.

The last thing she saw was a shade of sorrow coming to his eyes, before his jaw clenched whilst he raised his hand and forcefully smacked her.

OoOoO

"A very interesting Midgardian..."

Opening his eyes as he heaved for breath from the effort, the dark haired male glared at the one who had spoken.

"She belongs to me... you and your master have no business with her." he retorted.

An ironic smile was all he could see from beneath the hood of the... creature... that had approached him.

"And do you believe _he_ would be deterred by you, if he decided to seek her out? Foolish Asgardian... you might have sent her away before my master could speak to her, this time. But it will not happen again... should he choose to satisfy his curiosity."

Forcing himself to rise despite his muscles protesting at the strain, Loki now approached the other male, narrowing his eyes dangerously.

"You stay away from her, Chthon!" he warned through clenched teeth.

A growl came in response to his words and when The Other raised his hand in an attempt to strike him, Loki conjured his scepter and placed the tip to his throat.

"Don't forget why your master chose me..." he retorted smugly. "I am the one who will deliver the Tesseract; you would do well to remember that."

With another growl, Chthon ultimately backed down; he could not understand what Thanos had ever seen in that pathetic boy, but it wasn't his place to question his master's decisions. Still, he was sure Loki would fail... oh, and he would take such delight in dealing out punishment, when that day came.

With Chthon taking his leave, the dark haired god was left to once again collapse under the weight of his own exhaustion, as he allowed himself to drop onto the nearest rock. Allowing the scepter to fade away, he lowered his head and closed his eyes while waiting for his breath to settle down completely. And it was in those moments that his mind began working again, filling his head with questions.

What in all nine realms had happened to her? How had her consciousness even gotten so close to that place? Had it been something she'd done on purpose, or a mere accident? But most importantly... would Thanos actually take an interest in her?

He had hoped that he could keep her a secret and so far he had managed just that; but then... _that_ had happened just earlier, and Thanos was certainly aware of her existence now. And yet, amidst all that anxiety and anger, he did become aware of another feeling which his mind promptly translated into words: he longed for her gentle touch... her warm smile... her loving whispers; he longed to hold her again... he longed to bury his hands into her silky hair... he longed to lie with her, listening to the hypnotically beautiful pace of her heart... he...

_'I miss you... dearest...'_

OoOoO

The first thing she could hear was her startled, choked gasp when her eyes snapped wide open... the first thing she saw was nothing but a blurred mix of earthy colors...

_Drip... drip... drip..._

That sound made her bolt upright and instantly she grabbed her head which now throbbed painfully, while a groan escaped her lips. Once her mind had recovered from the shock of the initial dizziness, the image slowly cleared before her eyes and she realized she was... in a cave?

_Drip... drip... drip..._

Glancing around, she finally sighted the source of that sound... a thin string of water trickling along the wall and dripping onto the hard stone floor. Letting her eyes scan her surroundings, she took a few moments to let them get used to the dim light coming from what she guessed was an opening very high up on the wall. There seemed to be nothing else in that... cell, she assumed she could call it.

Finally she spotted the door somewhere to her left; it looked heavy, solid and... highly technological; in fact, it somewhat reminded her of the doors that S.H.I.E.L.D. used for their storage chambers.

Her attempt to stand was met with her body's fervent protest in the form of a sudden rush of dizziness that rendered her back onto her knees, holding her head. And she finally noticed that her hair was still damp, just like her outfit... no wonder she was so cold.

"You shouldn't move around too much... let your body recover first."

The unknown male voice nearly had her scream in fright; again she scanned the room and only when the other figure inside moved out of the shadowy corner it had been sitting in, did she finally notice she wasn't alone.

At first guess, she would have said the male was at least seventy years old, but his voice gave him away to be much younger than that, as did his wrinkleless forehead – or what she could see of it beneath the soiled strands of black hair. Judging by its length and the unkempt aspect of his large, bushy beard, she estimated that her companion had been locked up for at least a year, if not more. It was only when he stood and approached her, holding out a rusty cup which he had filled with water from the makeshift spring in their cell, that she realized her previous assumption had been wrong. He looked so emaciated that she could hazard a guess he had been a prisoner for many years.

"Thank you..." she ultimately replied, accepting the water.

"They brought you here three days ago... I didn't even think you were alive."

Moving back and seating himself against the wall, he fell silent for a while whilst Kara now tried to recall how she had ended up in that situation. Slowly her brain began replaying images of her latest memories, like a movie.

_**oO Flashback Oo**_

_"Thank you..."_

_She definitely hadn't seen that coming; she had expected his smile, but not... not that kiss... heck, she hadn't even expected her own reaction, and she was utterly baffled when she realized that she hadn't made the slightest attempt at stopping him. In fact she had basically become unaware of everything else until she heard him clearing his throat nervously._

_"We... we should go look for Stark..."_

_By the time her gaze had zeroed in on him again, Steve was already outside waiting for her to follow and doing everything in his power to not make eye contact with her. And it was in that very moment when she actually thought that Tony might have been right._

_"Didn't think Captain America was this bashful..." she retorted in jest, walking past him._

_"Yeah, I guess I'm too much of a fossil to know what women nowadays like in a guy."_

_Smiling at his humorous reply, she took a moment to simply watch him as he now walked at her side._

_"A real woman is going to like you just the way you are..." she finally said on a warm tone. "If you have to change in order to please her then she's not worth your time."_

_Her words had the effect she'd been hoping for, when Steve's gaze met hers and he finally offered her a grateful smile._

_"What about you? You got anyone holding some special place in your heart?"_

_His question had actually taken her by surprise, especially after he'd already kissed her. But while she wanted to smile at it, her heart cringed painfully whilst she found that she didn't know if she should answer _yes_ or _no_._

_"I... I had someone... he died."_

_Her tongue felt like lead in her mouth as she stated the last two words; she had so much tried to deny it, but ultimately she knew she was just deceiving herself and running away from her own pain._

_"I'm sorry to hear that..."_

_The sheer empathy in Steve's tone had her looking back to him and rendered her unable to hold back a slight smile; she certainly hadn't expected to feel as if he completely understood her with just a phrase, but she'd be damned if she didn't feel exactly like that. Maybe it really wasn't such a bad idea to actually try and move on; especially with someone like Steve._

_"I don't think you know what a great guy you are, Steve..." she replied, reaching up to briefly stroke his cheek._

_"Now you're just buttering up to me."_

_His unexpected retort had her laugh before she'd even fully realized he was jesting._

_"Well then I might as well go for broke, Cap..." she retorted._

_"Really? And how do you plan to do that?"_

_"Hmm... have you been to a movie theater yet?"_

_"Not since... too long ago."_

_"Then should we say... after the mission?"_

_It was at those words that she could see his humor slightly fading away and she could tell he was wondering just how much of what she said was a joke._

_"Are you hitting on an officer?" he finally asked, his lips almost involuntarily curving into that slightly lopsided smile that she actually considered really cute._

_Leaning back a bit, as if she was checking out his rump, she ultimately winked at him._

_"When he's wearing a skintight outfit and looks like... this?" she retorted, gesturing to his body. "What woman in her right mind wouldn't?"_

_Almost instantly she sighted a faint shade of red briefly coloring his cheeks while he shook his head at her._

_"Is this really how women ask guys out nowadays?"_

_"More or less..."_

_Their conversation was soon interrupted, however, when they arrived at the lookout point only to find that both Tony and his suit were gone._

_"Crap... now what?" she sighed._

_"I recognize these tracks..." Steve replied, having crouched down a few feet away to examine the soil. "These are from Stark's suit... and these... are from some very heavy combat boots."_

_Following his finger as he pointed out the footprints on the ground, she clenched her jaw._

_"They went that way..." he said, now pointing out along a tight trail leading up into the mountains. "I can't tell if they captured him or not, though... his suit's tracks end too abruptly. I'm thinking maybe he flew off."_

_"So then why didn't he come back to the cabin?"_

_Standing, Steve now reached to his back and retrieved his shield._

_"Maybe we should give Fury a call before we get in too deep." he suggested._

_"After we find Tony... if they did get him, he might not have enough time for Nick to mount a rescue mission."_

_"Kara..."_

_"Let's just go."_

_She heard his sigh and could swear that she was able to picture that disapproving look he offered whoever made stupid decisions, but ultimately she heard his footsteps as he moved to follow her._

_And then everything had gone so horribly wrong..._

_They had been following the trail for about two hours and had ended up high in the mountains only to find themselves ambushed by a dozen Hydra soldiers. The fight had been grueling, especially after one of their attackers had discharged his pistol at a nearby tree only to have it disintegrate into utter nothingness._

_"Don't let them hit you with those..." Steve warned her. "Otherwise Fury won't even have a body left to bury."_

_"Do you know who you're talking to?" she retorted in amusement. "This whole mountain's my playground..."_

_When she had stopped and raised her gaze to the rocks looming ominously above them, Steve had stepped in closer, to shield her while she made her move._

_"You sure about this?" he asked when the large stones groaned in protest, as the young woman attempted to dislodge them._

_"You just get... ready to run... now!"_

_Finally with a furious rumble the mountain spilled chunks of itself downhill, making the ground shake as the huge boulders rushed at them, tearing down every tree and smaller rock in their path. Steve had immediately taken her hand and dragged her along the trail, seeking to move out of the avalanche's way. And they were almost in the clear when one of their attackers grabbed her ankle and wrenched her out of Steve's grasp._

_When she rolled onto her back with the intention to kick him in the face and free herself, one of the boulders crashed on top of her assailant, the weight tearing a chunk of the small trail as well. The last thing she remembered was seeing herself falling into the abyss below... then she'd looked up to see Steve leaping after her with no hesitation – as if he was diving into a lake not into certain death – while her terrified scream echoed over the narrow valley amidst the unbridled growls of the mountain._

_She had been lucky enough to eventually hit the surface of the lake at the bottom; and even luckier that all of the boulders which had fallen with her had somehow missed her. She remembered somehow managing to drag herself out of the freezing water, onto the cold ground... she could remember sighting a huge pile of stones nearby... and she could remember that her first thoughts had been a prayer to all the gods she'd ever heard of, that Steve wasn't buried underneath._

_And then her body had finally given in to the cold and everything had turned to darkness..._

_**oO End of flashback Oo**_

"How did you get here?" the male finally asked, startling her out of her thoughts. "You're too young to be working for them..."

Looking to him the young woman now scoured her memory; with her mind gradually kicking back into gear she ultimately managed to piece back together the latest events.

"I don't work for them." she replied. "I actually work for another organization... we're called S.H.I.E.L.D. and... I was here with two of my colleagues; a soldier... and a young scientist from Stark Industries."

"Tony..."

His statement of that name, as well as the shocked tone in his voice had Kara's eyes dart back to her cell mate.

"Are you... are you the one he's looking for?" she asked tentatively.

"I told him not to come, if they took me... I told him to stay away..."

The sound of his voice cracking left her baffled; she had expected the man to be happy to hear that they were going to save him... but to hear him break down into tears was definitely a reaction she had not foreseen.

"He's been looking for you for years..." she said softly. "Everyone should have friends like that."

"He can't come... he has to stay away..."

"You don't... want to get out of here?"

"I can't face him... not after I betrayed him..."

Crawling closer – as she was still too weary to stand and walk properly – Kara now settled just a few steps away from her cellmate.

"What happened?"

"He trusted me with some of his most secret formulas... and I didn't want to tell them anything... I didn't, I swear..."

Ultimately she felt compelled to reach out and grasp the male's hand in an attempt at calming him down.

"It's okay... just tell me what happened. Tell me who you are..." she said softly.

Falling silent for the following minutes while the male recomposed himself, she then released his hand to let him speak.

"I met Tony in college..." he said, his gaze now fixed onto his bony hands which he had gathered in his lap. "He was the playboy... I was the shy bookworm. But he always said we completed each other and that I motivated him to become better than he was and to aspire to greater things. After graduation he asked me to work with him and continue his father's technological empire... but I wanted something else. I felt like I couldn't help people as much as I wanted to, as a scientist. So I went back to school and became a cop; some years later I was recruited into the CIA and I soon became one of the top agents. Turns out that being a bookworm is good for more than just being a scientist..."

His last humorous statement was followed by a few moments in which nothing could be heard around them aside from the dripping water.

"One day I was assigned a mission to rescue some hostages from a bank heist." he said now, leaning his head back and averting his gaze to the dimly lit ceiling. "I'll always remember that day... it was the day that brought me so much sorrow... and so much happiness at the same time."

"What happened?" she asked when he fell silent again, apparently lost in his own memories.

"It turned out the one who was trying to rob the bank was my younger brother... my own brother..."

It was at those words that Kara felt her heart twitching for a reason she couldn't have pinpointed to save her life. What she could tell was that her intuition had perked up at something... but what?

"But that was also the day when I met the woman who would later become my wife... she was one of the hostages. We got married a year later..."

"Did... did you have any children?" she asked again, her throat gradually tightening as though someone was trying to choke her.

"A daughter... I swear she was the most beautiful thing I'd ever seen."

His reply left her staring in shock at him as realization hit her straight in the back of the head like a rock.

"What... what was her name?" she finally whispered, trying to keep at least some feeble grasp on her voice.

"Kara... my wife wanted her to have a unique name, because she was certain our child was destined for great things."

Instantly she had to bite into her tongue to hold back from bursting out into sobs, and she felt utterly grateful that the room was dark enough to hide the tears she felt streaming down her cheeks. Once more she took a moment to look him over and the sight only made her heart cringe in sorrow as she stared at the male before her.

A mere shadow of Richard Taylor... her father...

* * *

Sooo today's replies for my darlings :D

1. ******SuperNaturalxxFreak** - Honey I am so, so utterly humbled by the compliments you so generously offer me. Really, you are much too kind ❤

In regards to Steve, yeah I've tried to make him slightly more like a normal guy, because throughout his two movies (meaning not in _The Avengers_) I couldn't shake off the feeling that whenever he had a scene where his character had to interact with a woman, his behavior was forcibly shy. I really cannot imagine any man being THAT shy or THAT unable to woo a female.

So I took a gamble and made him seem a bit more normal, at the risk of not keeping him in character. I hope I kept his canon personality as much as possible, even with that minor change.

Also, I'm glad to hear I managed to keep Kara as a plausible character, even without focusing too much on her grief. As for writer's block, at the moment it doesn't seem like my brain has any trouble with that so I'm really happy for it. I've had to deal with a lot of writer's block over time for my other stories, so I know firsthand just how annoying it can be.

But thank you for this heartwarming review, darling. I hope you enjoyed this chapter as well and I'm looking forward to hearing from you again :D

2. **CaptainBrieOnToast **- Darling, really, there's nothing to apologize for. I am so happy that you loved both chapters so much even if one of them was indeed mostly comprised of movie scenes. And between you and me, I don't think Loki's evil either ;)

As for the mission, it's actually not the one from the beginning of _The Avengers_. It's a completely separate mission which takes place some good months before _The Avengers_ begins. It's basically its own arc in the story and it will include the Steve/Kara romance attempt (we all know it's gonna fail in the end, because Loki's still alive xD). Also Fury and Tony had a very good reason to keep the actual mission a secret, a reason which was revealed in the chapter you just read. I'm hoping it was a nice surprise.

But thank you so much for reviewing both chapters, honey. I hope you enjoyed this one as well; looking forward to hearing your opinion on it :D

So these are my replies for today. Cheers, lovelies~ ( ˘ ³˘)❤


	14. Entry 13

Soooo darlings, props to each and every one of you... the story now has more than **4.000 views**... in just **ONE MONTH!** I'm sincerely baffled and utterly humbled by all the love you poured onto this story, my lovelies. And I would like to offer my heartfelt gratitude to each of you, because without you this story would be nothing. It would be just an idea in my head.

So thank you, thank you, thank you, my lovely readers. I truly hope the story will keep living up to your expectations with each new chapter and that you'll all keep loving it just as much as you have until now :D

But for now enjoy the next installment of the Steve/Kara arc and don't worry... Loki's coming soon~ ;)

P.S. Every _Thor/The Avengers/Thor: The Dark World_ character belongs to the wonderful Marvel. I own nothing, except my OCs :)

* * *

**Entry #13**

_Once more she took a moment to look him over and the sight only made her heart cringe in sorrow as she stared at the male before her._

_A mere shadow of Richard Taylor... her father..._

oOo

_**Location: **__S.H.I.E.L.D. Helicarrier_

_**Date: **__October 02, 2011_

"Am I dead?"

"You weren't that lucky..."

Averting his gaze from the blinding lights above, Steve finally realized he was in what appeared to be a hospital room; and that the voice who had replied to his question belonged to Fury, the man standing near his bed.

"Where am I?" he asked, moving to sit up.

His head was throbbing in pain and the whole room was slightly spinning; he imagined that was what it felt like to be drunk or drugged.

"You're on the Helicarrier, in the medical ward. Stark brought you here three days ago and you were unconscious until now."

Looking back up at the dark skinned male, Steve now widened his eyes in shock.

"Stark?"

"Yes..." Fury replied, somewhat puzzled at the soldier's unexpected reaction.

Forcing himself to stand, Steve snatched his shirt from the nearby chair.

"Where is he?"

"What happened out there, Rogers?" Fury replied, narrowing his eye in thought.

"Where is he?!" the soldier asked again through clenched teeth.

"I'm right here." Tony retorted, having just entered the room.

Before he or Fury could react, Steve grabbed the young scientist by his shirt and slammed him against the wall.

"Where the hell were you?" he demanded.

"I was right there..."

"The hell you were! We came looking for you! I'm gonna ask just one more time... where were you?"

Tony's urge to offer a snarky retort was only dissuaded by the unusually furious spark in the soldier's gaze.

"They saw me..." he finally replied. "The same group you followed... I took off and went to circle the mountain chain after they followed me up. I was gonna ambush them and take a prisoner so we could get more information about the exact location of their hideout, how many troops they have stationed there... and I came back only to find you half-dead at the bottom of the pit."

Steve's sudden smile caught him off guard, the sight followed immediately by a sharp pain when the soldier's fist collided with his cheek, rendering him onto the floor.

"She died because of you..." he said in disgust. "Because you just had to withhold information from us. I hope this haunts you for the rest of your life, like it'll haunt me seeing her fall from that cliff."

Snatching his arm from Fury's grasp – given that the male had rushed to restrain him, probably fearing he would continue beyond just one punch – he left the room whilst Tony scrambled to his feet, leaning against the wall and holding his now bleeding lip.

"Stark, get to my office after you clean yourself up." Fury stated. "I wanna know every detail of what happened out there, after you cost me one of my agents."

OoOoO

"Can I trust you not to punch him again, Rogers?"

"Yes, sir..." the soldier replied reluctantly.

"Good. I wanna know what happened out there and I can't talk to him, if you break his teeth."

"With all due respect, sir... you weren't the one out there. You weren't the one who saw that terrified expression on her face as she fell... you're not the one who heard that desperate scream echo all around you... and you're not the one who's gonna have nightmares. And you're just as guilty as Stark is... if you'd told us from the beginning where we were going and what we were getting ourselves into, she might still be alive now."

"She is still alive."

Almost startled by Tony's voice as he entered the office, Steve now shot an angry glance Stark's way.

"She is, Rogers... don't get your pants in a knot. Jarvis stuck tracking bugs to both of you; how else do you think I found you under ten feet of rock?"

"Are you saying you know where she is?" Fury asked.

"Jarvis just finished analyzing the data and... although we had quite some interference... we found her. Here, give me this for a minute..."

Reaching to the male's desk Tony retrieved the end of a cable which he hooked into his phone.

"Alright, Jarvis... let's show our friends how good you are at mapping."

_"I have already uploaded the geographical data into your computer, Director Fury."_ came the AI's response.

Lowering his gaze to the touch screen on his desk, Fury pressed one of the buttons which projected the data onto the wall nearby.

"Alright, so this is the satellite view." Tony continued. "Jarvis... scan that mountain and give me a full 3D view of the inside, please."

_"Right away, sir."_

Watching as the image shifted to one similar to a blueprint, showing the inside of the hideout, Steve finally moved to stand next to Tony. The inside of that mountain was most definitely a Hydra lair; the layout still triggered a sense of familiarity in him as he watched the maze-like corridors and the various rooms scattered about.

_"There are four storage chambers where I have detected the particular wave pattern emitted by Stark technology."_ the AI pointed out, while the image marked each of those chambers with a red X.

"Alright, now add a thermo-scan layer and show me how many of them are inside." Tony stated.

With the image gradually filling the corridors and some of the rooms with red dots, the three males fell silent while examining the display, until Jarvis spoke again.

_"Sir, I have located the source of Miss Taylor's signal."_

"Show me." Tony replied.

His eyes moved upwards to what seemed to be the northernmost chamber in the facility where one of the dots had turned green.

_"It appears there is someone else with her; the satellite scan cannot identify whether they are hostile or not."_

"I'm counting about fifty in there, aside from her." Steve finally said.

"A walk in the park..." Tony retorted humorously while unplugging the phone from Fury's computer.

"You're not going out there until we devise a plan of action." Fury now said, lacing his fingers together. "This is no longer your mission, Stark; this is officially a S.H.I.E.L.D. rescue operation... starting now."

Before Tony could protest in any way, the dark skinned male pressed a button onto his desk.

"Coulson, I want you in my office... right now."

oOoOoOoOoOoOoOo

_**Location: **__Hydra facility_

_**Date: **__October 03, 2011_

The sound of the door lock clanking startled Kara from her half-asleep state; she had no idea how much time she and her cellmate had spent in silence, each of them apparently deeply lost in their own thoughts. She hadn't told him that she was the daughter he had spoken of... if he didn't know yet what had happened in his absence, she didn't want to be the one to tell him that her mother was dead or that his daughter had ended up captured by Hydra, the same as him. She knew how much it meant to still have hope and she refused to be the one to take it away from her own father.

The sight of three soldiers entering the cell now drew her focus to the door, where a fourth male soon stepped inside... if she had to hazard a guess, she would have bet anything he was the leader there.

"So... you're still alive."

When she tried to avoid looking at him, the male approached her and snapped his fingers in front of her face to regain her attention.

"I'm talking to you, young lady. Who are you?"

Averting her eyes upwards, Kara briefly pondered on what to say.

_'Lie to him...'_

The sound of Loki's voice almost made her jolt in surprise and instinctively her eyes darted around the room; and then she sighted him standing in the doorway, his hands clasped at the back of his waist as he pinned her with that pointed gaze he offered her when he wanted to make it clear that he would not accept disobedience.

For a moment she felt like laughing out loud when a sudden surge of joy coursed through her, but... he couldn't really be there... could he? By now she'd concluded that her previous _meeting_ with him had been nothing more than a dream. Maybe she was finally starting to lose it, with everything that had happened of late. Maybe it was just her own mind wishing to preserve her life and urging her to lie by making use of his image.

"I'm... Alice... Winters..." she mumbled hesitantly.

When the male standing before her cocked his head to the side in thought, she found herself trying to swallow a sudden knot in her throat.

_'Lie better...'_

If this was her mind's attempt at keeping her alive, then it was damn torture having to hear Loki's voice; it made her heart cringe so painfully that she could barely breathe anymore.

"Miss Winters..." the male finally stated contemplatively. "And how did you end up in the lake?"

"I was hiking... I got lost and slipped off the trail."

"Do you usually hike so high in the mountains without any gear?"

_'Threaten him...'_

"Look, I have no idea who you people are... but you have no reason to keep me here. If I'm missing for too long my friends are gonna call the police." she bluffed, hoping it would be enough to deter her interrogator.

With a chuckle he now withdrew a cell phone from his pocket when it started beeping, before he glanced over his shoulder and barked what sounded like an order in a language she recognized as German, even if she had no idea what he'd just said. For all she knew, he could've just ordered his men to shoot her right there and it took all she had to not visually breathe in relief when the soldiers left the room.

"I'll be seeing you again soon... _Miss Winters_."

The odd shade in his tone had her gulp while he walked to the now empty doorway; if anything, it was clear as daylight that she hadn't lied well enough to make him buy that story.

"When they come for you, fight them..."

Her cellmate's statement actually startled her; with all the commotion, she'd almost forgotten he was in the same room.

"What?"

"Fight them... it's better if they kill you, than if they test God knows what substances on you."

Narrowing her eyes in thought, the young woman now recalled their previous conversation.

"Is that... does that have anything to do with those formulas you mentioned?"

"I didn't want to give them those formulas... but I had no choice. They found out who I was and said they'd release my brother from prison and make sure he found my family."

"What... what do you mean?" she asked, although by now she was already starting to piece together the whole picture.

"After the bank heist Glenn went to prison... and he just... lost it in there. He lost his mind... he wanted nothing more than to take revenge on me. The last time I visited him was shortly before I left my family; he swore he'd one day get out of there... and that he'd take everything away from me, just like I took everything away from him. I brushed it off as just crazy talk, knowing of his medical condition. Until Hydra said they had the means to release him and tell him where my family lived. I... I had no other way... I had to choose between Tony and my family..."

When his voice again broke into sobs, Kara finally moved and settled next to him.

"You made the right choice..." she said softly. "Tony's going to understand... he has someone he loves as well and I know he'd give up anything to ensure her safety. He'll understand..."

"It doesn't matter anymore... I gave them those formulas for nothing. A couple of days after I did, they told me Glenn _escaped_ from prison; they said they had nothing to do with it, but I knew it was them. I killed my own family... because I wanted to help out a friend, I killed my family..."

It was at those words that Kara ultimately gave in to her own feelings and wrapped her arms around him.

"What if I told you that you daughter's fine?" she whispered. "That she's alive and well? That she's living a happy life?"

Even in the semidarkness she could tell when he leaned away and stared at her utterly speechless.

"I met her... I heard about Glenn's attempt to kill them. Your wife didn't make it, but she did... she's fine and she's grown into a great woman."

Heaven knew how much she wanted to just tell him that she was the daughter he'd believed dead; but how could she reveal that she wasn't, in fact, fine at all? That she was in a life threatening situation along with him? Or that she was struggling desperately to not die on the inside...?

"She talked about you... she always said how much she misses you. And how much she wishes she could see you at least one more time. She said she still sleeps with the stuffed bear you gave her... said it was the last present she got from you before you left."

Her gaze was drawn from the floor back to him when Richard grasped her hand.

"Thank you... you can't possibly imagine what it means to me to hear that." he replied, his tone overflowing with gratitude. "I wish I could see her before I die... but I don't think I'll get that chance anymore. At least I can die knowing that she's well... and for that I'm truly grateful."

"They'll come for us." she stated, squeezing his hand reassuringly. "I know they will... Tony said he owes you his life, he won't give up. And neither will Steve..."

Her throat actually tightened at the mention of his name; God, she hoped with all her being that he wasn't dead.

"Tony's a smart man, but even he's no match for Hydra..."

"He's not alone. He has S.H.I.E.L.D. to help him... they'll come." she insisted, although by now she was starting to suspect that she was trying to convince herself more than him.

OoOoO

"Ready, back there?"

Nodding to Natasha's question, Steve retrieved his shield and strapped it to his back while Tony moved to the back of the Quinjet.

"Alright..." Coulson spoke into his radio. "As soon as we blast that entrance, I want the ground teams to move in; after the rocks collapse you'll have a ten second window before the dust settles, so make the most of it and secure the porch. I want you to draw them out and keep them distracted long enough for the extraction team to retrieve our target."

_"Yes, sir."_

"Ready when you are." he smiled lightly, looking back to the redhead in the pilot's seat.

With a sly smirk Natasha reached to the console, eyeing the mountain before them.

"Knock, knock... anybody home?" she said in jest.

With the push of a button two missiles left the Quinjet, hitting the rock head on and causing almost the entire mountain slope to burst open. Watching as the agents on the ground stormed the entrance, Coulson now looked back to Tony and Steve.

"Alright... you're up. Be careful in there, we don't know if they're all going to fall for it."

Without a word Tony merely closed up his suit's mask, opening the back of the Quinjet and taking off with Steve leaping out after him.

_"You go get our package, Rogers... I gotta get some toys back."_

Looking up as the scientist spoke into his earpiece, Steve sighed; why wasn't he surprised that Tony was off doing his own thing? Shaking his head he instead rushed inside the hideout, passing by S.H.I.E.L.D. agents and Hydra soldiers alike. Normally he would have stayed to fight, but right now he had other priorities...

OoOoO

She couldn't tell how much time she had spent sitting there, holding her father's hand, neither of them uttering a word anymore but neither of them making any attempt to let go either. All she knew was that at some point they'd heard the muffled sound of an explosion; soon afterwards the door to their cell had opened again, revealing the same male from before flanked by three soldiers.

"So, _Miss Winters_... I have spoken to my superiors and they have agreed that it was rude of us to keep you here like this." he said on a tone that sounded almost mocking. "If you would accompany me, I will lead you outside and one of my men will escort you to the nearest town. So it's time to say goodbye to your little friend..."

The kind smile on his face would have likely appeared genuine, but she knew better than to trust a Hydra agent; even if she was too distraught and couldn't focus properly to read his mind, her father had told her more than enough. When she failed to move, the agent ultimately allowed his humor to fade off, and Kara actually found it unnerving that he wasn't at all distraught by what was likely a breach in their security. Not that she would complain about it...

"Very well... I was hoping to do it the easy way."

With a snap of his fingers, the three soldiers moved in with the intention to grab her and drag her out of the cell. She had just released Richard's hand and moved into a crouched position in between him and the approaching soldiers, ready to make use of the combat moves Natasha had taught her, when she was startled by the sight of what looked like a huge Frisbee smashing into the back of one's head.

"I hope this wasn't a private party..."

When the soldier fell to the floor unconscious, Kara felt a shaky breath leaving her lips as she sighted Steve standing in the doorway, and her lips involuntarily twitched into a smile. Although the other two soldiers attacked him at the same time, the young male made short work of them before smashing the flat of his shield into the scientist's face. When none of them gave any sign of standing up again, he finally relaxed enough to settle onto one knee before Kara.

"Are you okay?" he asked, checking for any visible injuries.

The next thing he knew, she had basically thrown herself into his arms and he felt her trembling. At first he thought it was from the cold when he noticed her damp suit, but then he heard her shaky voice and realized she was crying.

"It's okay..." he said gently, returning her embrace and stroking her hair in an attempt to calm her down. "It's okay, I'm here..."

* * *

Sooo today's replies for my darlings :D

1. **SuperNaturalxxFreak** - Darling, that awesometacular review was probably the best birthday present I could've gotten this year. Thank you SO much, honey ❤

Yes, awesometacular is a word... don't think about it, just accept it! xD

Jokes aside, I'm so glad you got so excited about Kara's dad still being alive. I was actually hoping that my readers would all be thinking _"I didn't see that coming"_. That's how you know you made a good moment, when your readers don't see it coming and when that moment just baffles them (in a good way). As for the scene at the beginning... well I'll let you decide for yourself what it was ;)

Oh, I'm so relieved to hear that I managed to keep Steve in character. Contrary to most opinions, I think he's actually the hardest character to keep in character (yes, crappy redundancy xD). Most people I've talked to believe that Thor or Tony or other characters like them are the hardest to pull off, but for me Steve is definitely THE ultimate torture when it comes to getting his canon personality right. So I guess you could say I'm a bit masochistic for choosing him xD

But I'm really happy to see that the chapter got you so excited. I'm hoping this one did a good job of it as well. So thank you for this heartwarming review (and for a great birthday present) and I'm looking forward to hearing your opinion on this chapter as well, darling :D

2. **MomentsInSilence **- I don't know if I should be happy or worried that my story got you stuttering like that xD

But either way, I'm glad you enjoy it. Thank you so much for giving me a bit of love through your review. I'm looking forward to hearing from you again :D

So these are my replies for today. Cheers, lovelies~ ( ˘ ³˘)❤


	15. Entry 14

Soooo I got no rant for you today, lovelies. Aren't you glad? :D

Just remember that **reviews = ℒℴѵℯ** so please toss me a bit of it. I promise I don't bite! That's Loki's job~ ;)

Please? Pretty please with sugar lumps and whip cream and strawberries on top? ❤(◕ω◕)❤

P.S. Every _Thor/The Avengers/Thor: The Dark World_ character belongs to the wonderful Marvel. I own nothing, except my OCs :)

* * *

**Entry #14**

_"It's okay, I'm here..."_

oOo

_**Location: **__Hydra facility / S.H.I.E.L.D. Helicarrier_

_**Date: **__October 03, 2011_

Despite his every urge and instinct, Steve didn't move for the following few minutes; as much as he wanted to just get Kara out of there, he knew how important it was to get her to calm down and have her focused.

"You stupid man..." she finally said, catching him off guard.

When she leaned back and he sighted her tearstained face in the semidarkness, he found that the only thing he could do was to place his gloved hands onto her cheeks, in an attempt to wipe off the salty drops. It actually surprised him when she pushed his hands away, instead feeling her own hands weighing against the back of his neck before her lips pressed against his.

"You stupid, idiotic... and insanely courageous fool..." she muttered amidst tears, despite being unable to fully withhold a smile. "How could you jump after me like that? I thought you were dead..."

Finally understanding her reaction Steve ultimately couldn't hold back a smile of his own, while his arms somehow again found their way around her.

"I'd do it again any day of the week..." he replied, only to have his statement cut short when she again leaned up to kiss him.

If she were to be honest, she had no idea just what in the world had driven her to do that; she'd really done it before even full realizing just what she was doing. But if she'd ever had any doubts about the idea of trying to move on with Steve, right now they were completely gone. Yes, if she was going to keep her sanity she had to move on and accept the fact that Loki was now part of her past... and she couldn't think of a better man to help her rebuild her life, than the one she was kissing right now.

"Not that I'm not enjoying this..." he said humorously, despite how reluctant he was to lean away from her lips. "But how about we get outta here first? You promised me a date... and I sure as hell am not gonna miss this one."

"I did, didn't I?" she smiled, wiping away her tears. "We'll do it... but you have to promise you're not gonna jump after me like that anymore."

Huffing amusedly, he now stood and grasped her hand to help her to her feet.

"I'll think about it..."

It was when he cast a last glance around the room that he finally noticed Richard.

"This is Richard..." Kara said. "He's the one Tony came here to save..."

Nodding lightly, Steve approached him and offered a hand.

"Can you stand?"

"There's no point in taking me along." he replied. "Just get her out of here..."

"What are you talking about? We're not leaving anyone behind..."

Shaking his head with a slight smile, Richard heaved a sigh.

"I'm already dead... and I'll only slow you down."

At those words Kara now knelt before him with a sorrowful frown.

"You said you wanted to see your daughter again, before you die. I'm not leaving you here... I'll take you to see her."

"Come on." Steve stated, again holding out his hand.

Once he'd gotten over his awe, the male nodded and grasped the soldier's hand to get up, ultimately giving in to his desire to see his child again.

"You know, I never actually believed you're real..." he said now taking a moment to take in Steve's appearance. "Not even when Tony told me about his father's work with Erskine."

"Well, here I am..." Steve replied with a slight smile.

Moving to the doorway he carefully glanced both ways along the corridor before motioning the two to follow him. Their peaceful trek was short lived, however, when they turned a corner only to run into a group of six Hydra soldiers.

"Stay here..." Kara said, taking Richard behind a nearby crate.

Rushing back down the hallway where Steve was already in the midst of fighting their attackers she knelt next to one of them, who was by now lying on the ground with a broken neck, retrieving the male's pistol.

"Here..."

Startled by Steve's voice she raised her gaze to see him standing before her, holding out what looked like a small dagger. Glancing behind him she spotted the other five soldiers lying flat on the ground.

"Thanks..." she replied, accepting the weapon and hiding it in her boot.

"Let's keep moving." he now stated, rushing back to the crate to retrieve Richard. "I don't know how much longer Coulson and Natasha can keep them busy."

At his words the young woman stared up at him, even as she followed them along the hallways.

"Phil... Phil's here?"

"He's the one who devised the entire rescue operation, at Fury's request."

Sighting her worried expression, he smiled lightly.

"Don't worry he's not on the ground... Natasha's overseeing the operation along with him, from the Quinjet."

Nodding with a relieved smile, the young woman soon raised her gaze when they arrived in what seemed to be a huge cavern where she could see dozens of large crates stacked.

"Is this... a storage room?"

Soon enough she sighted a familiar figure above them and a relieved breath left her when she recognized Tony in his suit, the male soon landing before them.

"You look like you could use a meal... or two..." he said, popping open his mask and reaching forward to shake Richard's hand.

"Not like it'll do me much good..." the male replied. "I'm already dying..."

"Not if I have anything to say about it."

"Tony... I had to give them the formulas, to save my family..."

"Yeah, that's not a problem... those formulas turned out to be failures anyway..."

"They tested the formulas on me."

It was at those words that Tony looked back to his friend, and for once Kara sighted a shade of utter sorrow in his eyes.

"If my calculations are correct... I'll be dead by tonight."

Sighting the painful shade that now crossed Kara's expression, Steve lightly frowned in thought although he decided to leave the questions for later; right now they had to get out of there.

_"Stark... Stark do you copy? Did you get her yet?"_ Coulson's voice suddenly rang out from the radio built into Tony's helmet.

"Yeah, we got her..." the scientist replied, snapping out of his shocked state.

_"Then get outta there; we're going to blast that whole mountain... you have two minutes."_

"Time to go." Steve retorted.

Strapping the shield to his back, he now cradled Richard in his arms and made a dash toward the exit. Gulping at the sight of Kara's pointed gaze, Tony allowed his mask to close before he picked up the young woman and took to the air, following Steve.

"How much did he tell you?"

"Everything..." she retorted.

"Yeah, I..."

"I didn't tell him I'm his daughter."

Her reply had the man turn to look at her.

"Why?"

"How could I?"

OoOoO

Tony had barely set her back onto her feet inside the Quinjet when Kara found herself tightly embraced; it was such a sudden thing that it took her a moment to realize it was Coulson.

"I'm alright, Phil..." she said softly, latching her arms around him. "I'm sorry if I made you worry."

"It doesn't matter anymore..." he replied, leaning back with a relieved smile. "What matters is that you're safe."

With Steve entering the aircraft along with Richard, Natasha now steered the machine away from the mountain just moments before a missile fell from the sky, blasting the entire peak and burying the hideout under tons of rock.

The flight back to the Helicarrier took no more than a few minutes and just half an hour later Kara was standing in Fury's office along with Tony and Steve, after they had taken Richard to the medical wing.

"Great work down there." he said, looking to the other two males.

When he averted his gaze to Kara, however, his throat suddenly tightened in a knot at the expression on her face.

"Why didn't you tell me?" she asked.

Looking between her and Fury, Steve lightly frowned in thought while Tony merely shifted on his feet uncomfortably.

"Kara..."

"He's my father, Nick. I had the right to know when I went there!"

"He's alive... that's what matters." Tony chimed in.

Almost instantly he regretted uttering any sound, when she frowned at him.

"He said he's gonna die by tonight... I... _why_ didn't you tell me?"

Again she glanced to the Director, and her frown melted into a hurt expression.

"Is that how much you trust me? What... did you think I was gonna let my emotions cloud my judgment? I trusted you and took this mission blindly... I nearly died and so did Steve. Is this how much faith you reward me with?"

Looking between him and Tony when they both failed to reply, she ultimately turned her back to them.

"I'm gonna go sit with him..."

Minutes later she was entering the medical ward where one of the doctors had apparently just finished tending to her father.

"How is he?" she asked.

"He's asleep... we gave him a sedative and a shot of morphine."

Sighting her puzzled expression, the doctor briefly tightened his lips in hesitation.

"He's in terrible pain... he said he's been in constant pain for the last month. I understand there were some substances tested on him; the scan revealed that many of his organs are almost completely dead and his muscle mass is all but gone."

"But... h-how..."

"It's called cellular death... his body is rejecting whatever substances they injected him with and his cells are decomposing one by one. Even if we managed to make an antidote, it's already too late for his body to recover."

"How much time does he have?"

"At the rate his cells are decaying... I'd estimate about six to eight hours before his heart and lungs give in."

"I see..." she nodded.

The doctor's hand weighing down on her shoulder startled her out of that trance-like state she was now slipping into.

"Are you alright? They told me you were there with him... did they give you any shots or pills or..."

"No, I'm fine... they got us out before I had anything done to me. Can I... can I sit with him for a bit?"

"Sure..." the young man smiled lightly. "It might do him good to not be alone when he wakes."

With the doctor taking his leave, Kara approached the bed; one of the nurses, it seemed, had trimmed his hair and shaved his beard. And seeing him now, despite his emaciated face, he looked so much like the father she remembered. Her gaze blurred from tears so suddenly that it actually caught her off guard, and she had to cover her mouth so as to muffle the sobs she felt struggling to break free from her throat. Once she was sure she had a good grasp on her voice, she moved to the nearby chair and sat down, reaching out to gently grasp his hand.

"I'm sorry, daddy..." she whispered. "I'm so sorry..."

Leaning forward she laid her forehead onto their joint hands, her body faintly jolting as she cried silently. Tired... she was so tired of living... so tired of having to endure hit after hit; her mother... then Loki... now her father... sometimes she believed she was cursed in some way; that someone had put a spell on her, to prevent her from ever being happy.

She couldn't tell how much time had passed before she finally heard Richard's voice.

"You're here..." he said softly.

Looking up at him she made her best attempt at a smile; by now her mind was made up... the least she could do was tell him who she was and make the most of those last hours they had together.

"Yeah..." she replied, lightly squeezing his hand.

"You were right... I'd given up on hoping to ever leave that place. But you were right... they did come for us."

Trying to swallow the knot in her throat, the young woman straightened her posture somewhat.

"I... I have something I need to tell you... about your daughter..."

When he squeezed her hand in return and smiled warmly at her, she was caught off guard, until his words hit her like a rock.

"I know it's you, honey..."

Almost instantly tears filled her face again as she stared at him in shock.

"How...?"

"I started suspecting when you held me in the cell... you always had a certain way of hugging me, even when you were little. It was unlike any other hug I'd ever experienced. And now that I saw your face clearly, I have no more doubts... you look so much like Michaela."

"I'm sorry, daddy..." she muttered shakily. "I should have come looking earlier... I should have..."

Shaking his head, the male now raised her hand to his lips and kissed the back of her fingers.

"No, honey... I'm just glad you're alive and safe."

Helping him sit up against the pillow when he attempted to rise, she then settled on the edge of the bed, lacing her hands with his.

"You really have grown into a wonderful woman..." he said, reaching out with a shaky hand and stroking a lock of her hair.

"I'm not wonderful at all... I'm pathetic, daddy..."

Looking back to him when he pressed a finger beneath her chin, she bit into her lower lip when he fixed her with that scrutinizing gaze she remembered so well.

"I'm grateful that you tried to protect my feelings... but I can tell you're not living a happy life."

"I... after mom died, S.H.I.E.L.D. took me in. I met a man and..."

"You loved him?"

"Yes..." she whispered, with a shaky sigh. "God, I loved him so much... but then he went and died on me. And I'm so pathetic; I'm clinging to his memory so hard, so... desperately..."

"It doesn't look like it to me."

His words compelled her to look back into his eyes, and he again smiled lovingly.

"What I saw was you trying to move on... even if maybe you haven't yet noticed it."

Realizing he was talking about Steve, she again lowered her head when fresh tears filled her eyes.

"I don't know if I can..."

Silence veiled them for the following few moments, only broken by her shaky breath.

"His name is Steve, isn't it?" Richard suddenly asked.

"Yeah..." she whispered.

"He seems like a good man... and he seems like the kind of person who is able to genuinely help those around him. I'm sure he'll be able to help you too... if you give him a chance to do it."

It was then that she felt him lightly tugging on her hands and she involuntarily leaned forward until her cheek pressed to his chest.

"I'm so scared, daddy... I'm scared that I'll lose him too..." she muttered amidst tears.

"You'll regret it more if you don't try..." he replied softly while stroking her hair.

"If I do it and I lose him... I don't know how I could cope with it anymore... with all that grief..."

"No one said it's easy to live, honey... life's a constant struggle. But it's that struggle that makes the happy moments so beautiful; and it's those happy moments, as fleeting as they are, that make the struggle worth it."

* * *

Sooo today's replies for my darlings :D

1. **SuperNaturalxxFreak** - Yes, with that scene revealing that Kara didn't want to tell Richard that she's the daughter he was talking about, I tried to imagine what I would have done in that exact same situation. And yeah, I think that's what anyone would do, if they were there... well at least that's what anyone who loves their parents would do xD

Oh, I'm so, so glad and relieved to hear that you didn't feel any OOC vibes from Steve. Yes, Thor is immensely easy to write, so is Tony. But characters like Steve are "out of time" as Loki so well put it. So I basically had to write a character born and bred in a time period when I wasn't alive.

Loki is actually a VERY complicated character as well and he's a grueling torture to write sometimes, simply because he's so complex, he has so many layers to him and he's just so... chaotic to some extent, that you can never be 100% sure of what goes on in his head. Even when I write his scenes I'm never fully sure that I manage to keep him in character, simply because he's the kind of guy who never really reveals his true self. So trying to make him reveal his true self at least towards Kara, is quite a challenge.

I actually had no plans to really post this story on the website, simply because of that fear that I wouldn't manage to make a credible Loki. But I've had some encouraging responses from a few friends so I decided to take that risk. And to this day, I'm not really sure how well I wrote Loki and all the other characters. I'm hoping I'll be getting more reviews so I can tell if I did a good job or if my readers feel that I should change anything.

But thank you for another lovely review, darling. And thank you for being so amazing and actually taking the time to review each chapter. That's the only real thing that writers can use to improve, knowing what people like and what they want from a story. So thank you again, love, and I'm so grateful for your help :D

So these are my replies for today. Cheers, lovelies~ ( ˘ ³˘)❤


	16. Entry 15

Soooo lovelies, here we are, at the next installment of my little endeavor. Hope y'all are liking the story so far, though I'd love it if you tossed me a review to tell me :D

Also, for those of you darlings who are interested to learn the workings behind Kara, stick around after you're done reading and read my replies at the end of the chapter. I'm hoping it'll give you more insight into how I imagined and tried to build Kara's character and maybe you'll like her even more. Or maybe you'll hate her and want to throw her in the trash bin xD

Whatever you think about her or the story, I'd love to hear it in a review or a PM ( ˘ ³˘)❤

**One more quick mention:** I'll be uploading the next two chapters together, because most of both of them is pure movie-verse and I want to try keeping the boredom level to a minimum. So I'll be posting both of them at the same time because Kara has such a little part to play in those two chapters, as they're the setup for _The Avengers_, with the introduction of Loki's return and all the other LOAD of characters that we need to focus on.

And yes, lovelies, we've finally arrived at the middle section of my little story - _The Avengers_! Hope you all loved it up to this point and that it will keep meeting your expectations from here on :D

Now enjoy this last pre-_Avengers_ chapter, darlings~ ;)

P.S. Every _Thor/The Avengers/Thor: The Dark World_ character belongs to the wonderful Marvel. I own nothing, except my OCs :)

* * *

**Entry #15**

_"No one said it's easy to live, honey. But [...] it's those happy moments, as fleeting as they are, that make the struggle worth it."_

oOo

_**Location: **__Memory Gardens Cemetery, New York, U.S.A._

_**Date: **__October 05, 2011_

It was a cold, rainy day and the winds howled amidst the half-naked branches of the trees scattered throughout the cemetery. Everyone was gathered at the entrance to the chapel, to take refuge from the icy drops falling from the darkened sky. One lonely figure, however, was standing before a pair of graves; her clothes and hair were dripping and the tears of the heavens mixed with her own on her face.

All her father's colleagues from the police force and the CIA had come to the service; Tony and Pepper had come as well; Maria, Natasha and Clint had come along with Coulson; even Fury had shown up... and, of course, Steve had been there with her throughout the whole ordeal.

And as she stared at the twin tombstones before her – each holding a picture of her parents – her mind began roaming on its own, replaying the events of the previous days.

She recalled the moment when her father had finally drawn his last breath; she recalled how utterly destroyed she had felt, as though the entire world had crashed on top of her. For a second she'd believed she would suffocate when her lungs refused to work anymore. But then Steve had approached the bed, and his hand grasping her shoulder had felt like a lifeline that someone had tossed her as she struggled not to drown in a raging ocean.

She recalled looking up to see the sorrow on his face; she recalled lunging into his arms; and she recalled how he had held her so tightly and so protectively – as if he was trying to shield her from her own grief – while her sobs resounded in the empty room, only muffled by the fact that she had buried her face against his neck.

She recalled Tony's stunned expression when he'd entered sometime later, to find Richard dead; she recalled sighting the sincere grief in his eyes... something she'd never witnessed before; she recalled embracing him and feeling him break down into tears in her arms; she recalled how much that had surprised her and how much it had made her feel... attached to him... when she'd realized that Tony had genuinely cared about her father.

But why...? Why did she always have to be the strong one? Why was she always the one who had to put her grief behind and be strong for others? Why couldn't she just be weak for once?

She was so lost in those thoughts that it took her a moment to realize the rain was no longer pouring on her; and even if she'd expected it, it still startled her to see Steve standing next to her, holding an umbrella over her head.

"You don't have to hide your tears..." he said gently. "We already know that you're strong; and there's nothing wrong with crying when you lose someone you love. God knows how much I cried when I lost my parents... or when I lost friends on the battlefield. It's alright to cry..."

"I just... I've always set my own grief aside, because I thought I owed it to others to be strong and move on... to my mother... to Phil... to Nick..."

The feeling of his warm hand brushing against her frozen, wet cheek compelled her to look back up into his azure eyes.

"You also owe it to them to be honest with yourself. And grieving when you should isn't anything unnatural. If you bottle it up, it will just come back one day and destroy you."

When she lowered her eyes and he sighted the way her lips trembled, the young male wrapped an arm around her; almost instantly she latched onto him, breaking down into sobs while he kissed her soaked hair.

"I know you're strong... but you don't have to go through this alone. I'll help you shoulder that burden, if you'll let me."

oOoOoOoOoOoOoOo

_**Location: **__Hudson River Park, New York, U.S.A._

_**Date: **__January 20, 2012_

"Are you sure you're okay?"

Looking up to Steve when the young male posed that question, Kara offered him as much of a smile as she could before reaching out to grasp his hand.

"Yeah..." she replied softly.

She assumed that all the years when her father had been absent from her life, had played a huge role in helping her recover faster than before. Granted, she was still grieving... but at the same time she'd found that Steve was actually a pretty good substitute for Loki. If anything, she had much more in common with him than with the dark haired Æsir so she had decided to heed her father's words and make an active attempt at moving on.

And for the past month she'd started to feel... odd, if she were to be honest. While her chest felt lighter now that she was genuinely letting someone else carry a part of her burden, it also felt heavier for some reason. With all said and done... with everything she and Steve had in common... she couldn't deny it; she still loved Loki. The only thing she hoped for was that someday she would be able to let go of that feeling and actually give Steve the love he more than deserved.

The feeling of a gentle kiss to her forehead made her realize that Steve had released her hand in favor of setting his arm around her shoulders. And, as usual, she found it impossible to hold back a smile at his affectionate gesture... he simply radiated such warmth and such a protective aura that she couldn't help feeling relieved whenever she was with him.

"How about we go grab a cup of hot coffee?" she asked, placing her arm around his waist.

"Sure." he replied, lightly rubbing her shoulder.

Heading toward the park entrance they soon stepped out into the busy streets.

"Oh, Tony wants us to go to Stark Tower one of these days." she stated as they walked toward the nearest café. "He says Pepper wants to have a _girl talk_ with me."

"I can't imagine why." Steve retorted humorously.

Pouting at him, Kara slipped her hand beneath his jacket and pinched his side.

"I'll have you know, I'm quite feminine, Cap."

"Really?" he chuckled. "What if I asked you to wear a dress, for a change?"

"Depends on the dress... I think..."

Her voice trailed off when she averted her gaze over the crowd passing them by, while her mind suddenly perked up at a familiar sight. Was that...? Glancing around, she soon felt her body stiffening and her eyes widening. The reason was staring at her from amidst the crowd with a pair of shiny emeralds set upon pale features.

"Loki...?" she whispered while her lungs emptied of air in a pathetically weak gasp.

She didn't even realize she had stopped walking, until Steve's concerned voice reached her ears.

"Kara...? What's wrong?"

Looking up at him, she opened her mouth to reply while again averting her eyes to the crowd, only to find that Loki was gone.

"It's... it's nothing. I just thought I... saw someone..."

OoOoO

"Kara..."

The sensation of Steve grasping her hand startled the young woman who had spent the last hour in utter silence, staring intently at her cup of coffee.

"I'm okay..." she replied, even making an attempt to smile.

"You don't seem okay."

Lowering her gaze to their hands, Kara ultimately returned his gesture by lightly squeezing his hand.

"I guess I'm just a bit tired from the last mission."

She'd never been a good liar, but she hoped with all her being that Steve would believe her this time. Really, she had no idea how she would be able to explain that she had no clue if she was still sane or not. After all, seeing dead people certainly couldn't be a normal thing.

"You want to go back and rest?"

His question almost had her visibly breathe in relief; at least she didn't have to wrack her brain for a plausible explanation yet.

"Yeah..." she said softly. "I probably should take a couple of days off."

oOoOoOoOoOoOoOo

_**Location: **__S.H.I.E.L.D. Helicarrier_

_**Date: **__May 13, 2012_

"Can I talk to you for a minute?"

Looking up from the files he had been studying, Coulson blinked in surprise at the sight of the young soldier standing in the doorway to his room.

"Of course..." he smiled lightly, setting down the folder and pointing Steve to a nearby chair.

Once the door had slid to a close behind him, Steve moved to sit.

"Look... you've known Kara for a long time now. You're the closest thing to a father for her."

"Oh, I don't think I did such a terrific job..." the agent replied humbly.

His smile faded off, however, and was replaced by a concerned shade on his features when he sighted Steve's serious expression.

"What happened?"

"I... I don't know..." the soldier sighed. "But I don't think she's well... I'm worried."

"What do you mean she's not well?"

"She keeps having these... I don't know what to call them... visions, maybe? She keeps seeing someone all around. At first I brushed it off as exhaustion or stress, but they're getting worse. She won't tell me what's wrong; she keeps saying it's nothing and that she's just tired."

"Well she certainly hasn't had an easy life..." Coulson sighed. "There's only so much grief that the mind can endure before it starts breaking down."

Standing, he offered Steve a reassuring smile.

"I'll try talking to her and see if I can get to the bottom of this."

When the soldier nodded, he left the room with a heavy sigh; he had somewhat expected her to break down at some point and it still astonished him that she had been able to bear everything for so long. If only he could get her to trust him enough and tell him what caused her such deep and constant pain... it certainly wasn't her parents' deaths; his instinct told him that there was definitely something more.

OoOoO

It hurt... her chest hurt so much; it was unbearable... excruciating... as if someone had clasped her heart in red hot iron.

"Why?" she whispered shakily.

She couldn't stop crying... she couldn't stop seeing him... couldn't stop hearing him... couldn't stop dreaming of him... couldn't stop longing for him...

At first she'd dismissed it as just her mind playing tricks on her; but over time she'd started seeing him everywhere... always with that gaze... that painful, longing gaze which made her feel like a monster for even thinking about moving on and leaving him in the past.

"Why...?" she whispered again, hugging her pillow tighter. "Why do you torture me like this? Why won't you leave me alone?"

Lately even the façade she'd used in front of others to not worry them was starting to crumble; she could barely keep up the appearance that she was alright anymore. Really, how could she when Loki insisted on tormenting her day and night? What had she done to deserve this? Was loving him really such a grave sin, that she would have to endure this punishment? Was this Loki's way of keeping his word – even in death – that he would never let her belong to any other man?

Somehow she moved to her feet at some point... and somehow she made it to the bathroom, intending to wash her face... someone... she needed someone; the more time she spent alone, the more she could feel her sanity slipping away like sand in between her fingers. Phil... Steve... Natasha... anybody...

_'Dearest...'_

The sound of his voice startled her; lately she'd started hearing him even when she was awake, not just at night when she was dreaming. Always with that pleading tone... it felt like he was begging and demanding at the same time. Raising her gaze to the mirror she felt her heart skipping a beat when she saw him staring at her from behind her reflection.

"Don't..." she whispered as fresh tears flooded her face. "Go away... please..."

But all he did was stare at her... with that heart wrenching expression... it was agonizing...

She didn't know what came over her, but it felt like a sudden rush of... anger? Fear, maybe? All she knew was that she had to somehow make him go away before her mind failed her completely; and the only thing she could do was smash her fist into the mirror which shattered upon impact, cutting through her skin, staining her hand and the sink in thick crimson.

For a moment she could do nothing but stare at the now bare wall, heaving for breath, until a knock on the door to her room startled her.

"Kara?" came Coulson's voice from the corridor. "Can I talk to you for a minute?"

She'd been about to go open the door, utterly relieved to hear his voice... and then she saw _him_... standing in the middle of her room... staring at her...

"Go away..." she pleaded in a whisper, backing away.

_'Dearest...'_

Covering her ears she closed her eyes tightly and finally felt her knees giving way, until she was nothing more than a sobbing mess on the cold floor.

"Go away..." she asked again.

_'Dearest, look at me...'_

"Go away!" she finally screamed.

The sound was enough to startle even Coulson and for a moment he didn't really know what to do; but then his hand found its way back to her door and he slammed the side of his fist against the unyielding steel.

"Kara? Are you alright?" he called out.

His voice sounded so distant, almost like in a dream; if only she could find the strength to get up... if only she could open the door...

In the silence that followed, she looked up again to see Loki still there and a rush of utter terror swelled inside her at the thought of Phil having actually left. She didn't want to be alone... not with _him_... that wasn't Loki... that was just a terrible specter haunting her...

And ultimately her fear found its way out of her chest in the only way her mind could still release it.

"Phil!"

That bloodcurdling scream actually sent a cold shiver down his spine; not even bothering to try and reset the access code from her door's lock, he instead retrieved his pistol and fired two bullets into the console, which in turn deactivated the lock and forced the door open. Rushing inside he found himself utterly stunned for a moment, as he saw her crying on the floor amidst the glass shards from the broken mirror, her clothes and face stained in blood.

When he practically threw himself onto his knees in front of her and grasped her wrists to move her hands away from her ears, she offered him such a terrified gaze that it shocked him to his very core. The next thing he knew, she was clinging onto him in spite of her trembling body. It actually took him a moment to regain his bearings and embrace her in return. And while she sobbed uncontrollably, all he could do was stroke her hair and pray to God that she hadn't actually lost her mind.

* * *

Sooo today's replies for my darlings :D

1. **SuperNaturalxxFreak** - Honey, you have no idea how happy I am that you keep reviewing even if you already get to beta read the chapters before I post them.

I am so pleased that you enjoyed that tear jerking scene and that it made you tear up, because that was my intention, as heartless as it may sound. But you know you've written a good dark/depressing scene when the readers actually get tears in their eyes from it. I am really so grateful to both you and Abby, you've both given me so much love and so much confidence in my writing skills.

And I love you both so much; really, I'll never be able to thank you enough for all your kindness and support ❤

2. **kallmered **- Aww darling, thank you so, so much for this heartwarming review. I'm terribly glad and terribly relieved that you love Kara so much, because I did take the risk of making her a bit Mary Sue-ish although I had a good reason and I'll use your lovely review as an excuse to explain it for all my darling readers.

From her very inception, Kara was meant to be a very steady character... kind of like the "voice of reason" in Loki's head. But with Loki being as complex and unpredictable as he is, he wouldn't take to just anyone. And I wanted Kara to be that sort of... beacon that he could look to whenever he didn't know which way to go anymore. Now, for him to perceive her as such, she needed to be very constant and just very... good and honest and sociable and so on. And that probably made her come across as a Mary Sue to a lot of readers who were probably too shy to say it to my face xD

But at the same time, I tried to tone down that vibe by giving her internal conflicts which actually had one of their peaks in this very chapter that you just read. So fret not, she's not an actual Mary Sue (at least I didn't make her similar to one just because I had nothing better to do) I personally feel that Loki simply would not connect with someone who's just as broken as he is, because he needs someone who will help piece him back together.

And when someone is just as broken as you are, I don't find it plausible that that person could piece themselves back together AND piece you back together as well. That's just... no. Just impossible in my mind. And before anyone thinks _"yeah, but they'll piece EACH OTHER back together"_, allow me to disagree when we're talking about Loki. The guy would never, ever, EVER actually take the time to go through the grueling process of piecing some woman back together, simply because he himself is so utterly and completely broken, that I don't think he would be able to return someone's love until he himself is put back together at least to some extent. No matter how much he might want to or how much he would try, he would just not be able to return an actual true love to anyone, being as broken as he is.

And no, even if he stated that he loves Kara and even if he calls her _dearest_ or _love_, don't believe all that comes out of his naughty mouth, darlings. He is the God of Lies, after all, and everything he says should be taken with a grain of salt (unlike how Kara takes it, namely with 100% faith in him xD) So I tried to sort of break Kara, but not enough to drive Loki away from her. You could say I tried just putting a crack or two in her, without shattering her into a gazillion pieces, simply because Loki had to keep seeing the "illusion" that she's still whole and still strong enough to be there for him, through all the shit he's doing, even if that illusion isn't perfect, but has its own cracks and splinters here and there.

Because the bottom line is that she is the one who has to be there for him; she's the one who has to let him know at any given moment, that she's the one who will always love him for just who he is and that she will always have faith in him, no matter what he does or says. Given my perception of Loki's character, I think that's actually what he needs most from the woman who claims she loves him... I actually think he needs that certainty that she will always be there for him probably a bit more than he needs her actual love. Because that, in my mind, is the basic of the grueling and arduous process of piecing back together a broken soul.

So that's a very fine line to walk on and I hope I'm walking it rightly enough so far. But thank you so, so much for this lovely review, darling. I cannot express how happy it makes me when my readers tell me their opinions on the story or the characters. I am so utterly grateful to each and every one who has left me reviews and, of course, that includes you, honey.

So again, thank you so much, I hope you enjoyed this chapter and I'm looking forward to hearing from you again :D

So these are my replies for today. Cheers, lovelies~ ( ˘ ³˘)❤


	17. Entry 16

_The Avengers_ are here in all their superhero-ish glory! Aren't you glad, darlings?

Soooo no rant for today, I'll just let you enjoy these two chapters. Don't forget to toss me a review and let me know what you think ;)

P.S. Every _Thor/The Avengers/Thor: The Dark World_ character belongs to the wonderful Marvel. I own nothing, except my OCs :)

* * *

**Entry #16**

_And while she sobbed uncontrollably, all he could do was stroke her hair and pray to God that she hadn't actually lost her mind._

oOo

_**Location: **__S.H.I.E.L.D. Helicarrier / Unknown_

_**Date: **__May 15 / 16, 2012_

"Are you sure you're alright?"

Sighing lightly, Kara raised her gaze to the dark skinned male standing before her.

"Nick, it was just a nervous breakdown from stress... I'm fine now."

She'd spent an entire day and night in the medical wing after the doctor had given her a rather strong sedative to let her sleep. Fortunately she'd woken up with a much clearer mind, only to find Phil and Steve looking down at her with such concern on their faces that at first she'd thought someone had died.

But at least her mind felt much better... it was almost as if her brain had somehow rebooted, now that she had released all the pressure gathered in her head, although it left her confused; should she have hated Loki for torturing her until she broke down, or should she have been thankful to him for helping her clear her head?

And, by God, she still needed to talk to Steve; she'd managed to somehow avoid him for the past two days, but sooner or later she knew she would have to face him. By now she'd come to terms with the fact that she would never be able to move on... that Loki would never be _just in the past_. And she didn't want to cling to Steve; she already felt like she had only used him. The least she could do was explain everything to him and hope that she could salvage at least some small part of their friendship.

_"Sir... we need you at the facility. Dr. Selvig has some very worrisome news concerning the project."_

The sound of Phil's voice coming over the radio built into Fury's desk startled Kara out of her thoughts and made her offer the Director a pointed gaze when the male gave no sign that he was planning to reply.

"I'll be there as soon as I can." he finally said, fighting back the urge to sigh at her stubbornness.

When she stood, he crossed his arms but ultimately decided not to continue his attempt of getting the truth out of her.

"Go get some rest..." he finally said, on a much gentler tone than he usually displayed.

OoOoO

Tired... he was so damn tired... but even as he heaved for breath, he could barely contain a smile. Patience was not always a virtue of his, and Thanos had kept him waiting far longer than he would have liked. But he was finally here... Midgard...

The first thing he realized was that the Tesseract had transported him into what looked like an underground chamber. Well, he had expected something like that after encouraging that scientist to examine the Cube.

"Sir, please put down the spear."

With his gaze settling briefly onto the male who had addressed him, Loki narrowed his eyes in thought... that one seemed slightly familiar and he soon recalled catching a glimpse of his face somewhere in Kara's memories. Not that he would let that stop him, after he'd come so far... without warning he extended his arm and fired the energy which the scepter was drawing from the Tesseract, instantly killing two of the soldiers gathered there. To think he had once considered these pathetic creatures worthy of interest; it was such a laughable idea.

Within the span of a few moments most of his attackers were dead, although one in particular caught his eye when, after witnessing the more than obvious power gap between them, he still withdrew his weapon in an attempt to fight back.

"You have heart..." the dark haired god retorted.

And he needed some aid as well, at least until he fully recovered from the fact that the Tesseract had drained most of his power. With that in mind, he now placed the tip of the scepter to the young male's chest and – as he had foreseen – the Cube's energy instantly latched onto the soldier's mind.

Watching in utter shock as Barton returned his pistol to its sheath and made no other attempt to stop their assailant, Fury ultimately realized that this was beyond anything he could handle without some very serious help. While Loki was busy enslaving the only other agent still alive, the dark skinned male retrieved the Tesseract and got up to leave only to be stopped in his tracks by the Æsir's voice.

"Please don't... I still need that."

"This doesn't have to get any messier." Fury retorted, turning to face him.

Briefly glancing to the ceiling where the energy from the portal had gathered after Loki's arrival, he decided to play a wild card and try to stall until the whole place blew apart; it was much too risky to wait until he could gather the list of people his mind had already put together in the face of such a colossal threat... maybe he could end it right then and there, before any other innocent people met the same fate as his agents.

"Of course it does." Loki replied. "I've come too far for anything else."

When Fury frowned in some confusion, the Æsir straightened his posture.

"I am Loki... of Asgard. And I am burdened with glorious purpose."

It was at those words that Erik's attention was drawn away from his dead colleagues, and he turned to stare in shock at the young male. This... this was the man Kara had spoken so fondly of?

"Loki?" he muttered. "Brother of Thor?"

"We have no quarrel with your people." Fury stated, in an attempt at appeasing their attacker.

"An ant has no quarrel with a boot." Loki retorted, almost humorously.

It was that statement that ultimately sent a cold shiver down Fury's spine as his mind conjured up the only word that could describe the intentions he perceived from Loki... war.

"Are you planning to step on us?"

"I come with glad tidings... of a world made free."

"Free from what?"

"Freedom. Freedom is life's great lie. Once you accept that, in your heart, you will know peace."

With those words he whirled around to Selvig who had been standing behind him, enslaving his mind to the Tesseract in the same way he had done to the other two males.

"Here you say _peace_... I kinda think you mean the other thing."

Ultimately glancing to the ceiling and the energy gathered there – which had already begun crashing on itself in a chain effect – Barton approached Loki and the others.

"Sir, Director Fury is stalling. This whole place is bound to blow and drop a hundred feet of rock on us. He means to bury us..."

"Like the Pharaohs of old." Fury retorted sarcastically.

"He's right, the portal is collapsing in on itself..." Selvig agreed, after checking the readings on his computer. "We got maybe two minutes before this goes critical."

"Well then..." Loki replied expectantly, glancing to Barton.

Almost robotically, Clint withdrew his pistol and shot Fury square in the chest without a moment's hesitation. Retrieving the briefcase currently housing the Cube, he handed it over to Selvig whilst they moved to the underground parking lot to retrieve a vehicle. What was supposed to be a smooth exit, however, turned into a full blown, small scale war between them and Maria after Fury managed to warn her over the radio that Barton was no longer working for them. The only thing to stop the woman from chasing them all the way was the explosion from the portal which caused the entire facility to collapse into a newly opened crater.

Not even Fury's desperate attempt at shooting them down from the helicopter was met with success, when Loki easily took down the airborne vehicle with a shot from his scepter.

_"Director. Director Fury, do you copy?"_ came Coulson's voice over the radio, while the dark skinned male watched in shock as Barton drove away with Loki, Selvig and the Cube.

"The Tesseract is with a hostile force." he finally replied. "I have men down. Hill?"

_"A lot of men still under..."_ the woman said, heaving for breath. _"Don't know how many survivors."_

"Sound the general call. I want every soul not working rescue, looking for that briefcase. Coulson, get back to base... this is a Level Seven. As of right now we are at war."

OoOoO

_"This is out of line, Director. You're dealing with forces you can't control."_

Biting back the urge to sigh in the face of the Council, Fury instead squared his shoulders.

"Have you ever been in a war, Councilman? In a firefight? Did you feel an overabundance of control?"

_"You're saying that this Asgard is declaring war on our planet?"_

"Not Asgard... Loki."

_"He can't be working alone. What about the other one? His brother..."_

"Our intelligence says Thor is not a hostile, but he's worlds away. We can't depend on him to help us either. It's up to us..."

_"Which is why you should be focusing on Phase 2, it was designed for exactly..."_

"Phase 2 isn't ready; our enemy is! We need a response team."

_"The Avengers Initiative was shut down."_

"This isn't about the Avengers."

_"We've seen the list. You're running the world's greatest covert security network and you're going to leave the fate of the human race to a handful of freaks?"_

"I'm not leaving anything to anyone, we need a response team!" Fury insisted impatiently. "These people may be isolated, unbalanced even... but I believe with the right push they can be exactly what we need."

Upon leaving the room, he was so lost in his own thoughts that the sight of Kara standing in the hallway nearly startled him out of his boots.

"I thought I told you to go rest." he said.

When she failed to reply, instead only pinning him with that pointed gaze, he finally sighed.

"What is it?"

He already knew what was coming... either Coulson had mentioned the earlier events to her, or she'd simply invited herself into his mind to find out.

"You weren't planning to keep this a secret from me, were you?"

"What exactly are you referring to?" he asked tentatively.

"Phil told me the desert facility was attacked earlier... why didn't you tell me? I could have come along to help."

"Because you're still recovering, that's why."

When he tried to leave toward his office, he suddenly gulped as the young woman moved to follow him down the corridor, grasping his arm and forcing him to face her.

"Nick, I'm still an agent... and I'll be damned if I'm going to let you treat me like I'm some damsel in distress. Your best men trained me and all you're doing is trying to put me in a glass case. I did not sweat and suffer through that hell for nothing! Let me do my damn job!"

Again sighing, the male ultimately had to admit that she was right... all the assignments he had given to her had been of the lowest risk. But how could he let her in on a dangerous mission, after what had happened in Iraq? Well... maybe he could reach a compromise...

"Fine... then you go with Coulson. He's supposed to visit Stark tonight."

The sight of her puzzled gaze had him place his gloved hand over her mouth before she could start questioning him again. Normally he would have sent her to retrieve the soldier, but over the past two days they seemed to have quite some tension between them.

"Just do it... I'll go talk to Rogers."

With all said and done, some part of him likely believed that she was ready for this, no matter how much he tried to deny it; why else would he have added her name to the list for the Avengers Initiative?

OoOoO

"So what is this all about, Phil?"

Looking to her somewhat hesitantly as they headed toward Stark Tower, the agent now wondered if Fury had made the right call to get her involved in something like this.

"After the New Mexico incident, Director Fury came up with an idea... it was called the Avengers Initiative. In short, it's a group of people with unusual abilities, destined to be our protectors from enemies that we as simple humans could never fight."

Sighting her puzzled expression, he sighed while his eyes betrayed a shade of concern.

"You're on that list... so are Steve and Stark... Natasha and Barton... and Dr. Banner."

"You mean... Bruce Banner?"

"I know it might sound insane, but I promise you he's a very nice man. What happened to him was a terrible accident, but whenever he's not that thing it's quite nice to have him around."

"So... what are we supposed to fight?"

"What we were studying in the desert facility is an alien artifact called the Tesseract. Dr. Selvig was the one overseeing the project... we believe the Tesseract could be the answer to Earth's desperate need for sustainable energy."

"So I'm guessing whoever attacked you tonight took it?"

"Yes... that's why Director Fury has spoken to the Council earlier and forced them to reactivate the Avengers Initiative. He fears we might need each of you very soon. You'll probably be our only line of defense in what's to come."

Rendered silent by his words, the young woman now lowered her gaze to the file he had offered her, watching the picture of the Cube. Somehow it gave her such an odd feeling of déjà-vu; if only she could recall why that eerie bluish glow seemed so familiar...

OoOoO

_"Sir, agent Coulson of S.H.I.E.L.D. is on the line."_

"I'm not in... I'm actually out."

Walking toward his living room where Pepper was waiting, whilst robotic arms removed the steel suit from his body, Tony just couldn't stop smiling; his latest project of turning his tower into a self-sustaining building powered by renewable, non-polluting energy was a resounding success thus far.

_"Sir, I am afraid he's insisting."_

"Grow a spine, Jarvis. I got a date."

Stepping inside where Pepper was reading the screenings of the energy levels coming from the arc reactor, he approached the young woman with a smile.

"Energy levels are holding steady..." she said. "I think..."

"Of course they are; I was directly involved. Which brings me to my next question: how does it feel to be a genius?"

"Well, I wouldn't know anything about that, would I?" the female retorted humorously.

"What do you mean? All this came from you..."

"No, all this came from that." she said, pointing to the miniature arc reactor in his chest.

Their celebratory moment was cut short, however, when Jarvis' voice resounded in the room.

_"Sir, the telephone; I am afraid my protocols are being overridden."_

_"Mr. Stark, we need to talk."_ Coulson's voice resounded from the cell phone.

Sighing as he picked up the phone, Tony now straightened his expression.

"You have reached the life model decoy of Tony Stark. Please leave a message." he said, trying his best to sound like an AI.

_"This is urgent."_

"Then leave it urgently..."

It was those words that Kara's voice now resounded in the room, making Pepper laugh.

_"Tony, stop being an idiot!"_

Before the male could retort, the elevator doors opened to reveal Coulson and a very annoyed Kara frowning at him, the sight being enough to make him gulp.

"Phil... Kara..." Pepper smiled. "Come in."

"Phil?" Tony muttered in awe.

Ignoring him, the young woman moved to her feet and walked over to the two agents.

"We can't stay..." Phil replied, while Pepper was embracing Kara, before handing Tony a file. "We just need you to take a look at this."

"I don't like to be handed things..."

"That's alright, because I love to be handed things." Pepper retorted. "So let's trade..."

Offering Coulson her champagne glass, she retrieved the file only to give it to Tony in exchange for his own glass. Shooting a nasty glance to the woman, the young scientist ultimately had no choice but to accept the item.

"Official consulting hours are between eight and five every other Thursday." he retorted.

"This isn't a consultation." Phil replied with a light smile.

"Is this about the Avengers?" Pepper asked. "Which... I know nothing about..."

With a huff, Tony now walked over to the table to examine the file.

"The Avengers Initiative was scrapped. And I thought I didn't even qualify."

"I didn't know that either..." Pepper retorted.

"Apparently I'm volatile, self-obsessed, don't play well with others."

"Spot on..." Kara muttered humorously, making Tony shoot a pointed glance to her.

"This isn't about personality profiles anymore." Coulson replied.

Ultimately even Tony had to admit – albeit only inwardly – that seeing the agent so shaken up was giving him the chills. This definitely was something really serious...

* * *

Sooo today's replies for my darlings :D

1. **SuperNaturalxxFreak** - Aww I'm so glad that was your favorite chapter. I'm hoping everyone else enjoyed Kara's little descent into madness. And I hope that everyone's going to enjoy this part of the story, just as much as you did while beta-ing for it.

So thank you so much for all your help and all the support you gave me and you keep giving me. I really wouldn't have been able to get this far with the story, without you and Abby ❤

So these are my replies for today. Cheers, lovelies~ ( ˘ ³˘)❤


	18. Entry 17

So as I promised, here's the second chapter I'm uploading today. I'm hoping this will keep you from getting too bored, lovelies. I just had no way to weave Kara in more than I already did, simply because I had to do the setup for _The Avengers_ and get all the characters together before I started altering movie scenes to introduce Kara in them.

But enjoy, darlings, and do leave me a little review. It's much appreciated, I guarantee :D

P.S. Every _Thor/The Avengers/Thor: The Dark World_ character belongs to the wonderful Marvel. I own nothing, except my OCs :)

* * *

**Entry #17**

_Ultimately even Tony had to admit – albeit only inwardly – that seeing the agent so shaken up was giving him the chills. This definitely was something really serious..._

oOo

_**Location: **__S.H.I.E.L.D. Helicarrier / Köningstrasse, Stuttgart, Germany_

_**Date: **__May 17 / 18, 2012_

_Knock-knock..._

Startled by the sound, the scientist looked up to sight the young woman standing in the doorway to the laboratory.

"Oh, hi..." he said. "You're... Kara, right?"

"Kara Taylor, Doctor." she replied, with a light smile.

Looking between her and the touch screen he was currently holding, he allowed a few moments of silence before speaking again.

"So can I help you with anything, Kara?"

"I was just curious to see you up close... I've heard quite some things about you."

"Really? And what did you hear?"

"That you're a good man..."

Her reply caught him off guard and drew his attention back to her.

"Did you expect me to say that I heard you're a monster?" she retorted humorously in the face of his awed expression.

"I... I don't get it..."

"I noticed how uneasy you seem... not everyone thinks you're a monster, Bruce. Some people can still see the human behind the monster. Nick is one of those people; otherwise he wouldn't have gone to such great lengths to keep you out of trouble."

In truth, while she couldn't deny that she had wanted to help ease his mind, she was also using this as an excuse to not have to stay on the main bridge where Steve was currently overseeing the tracking operation along with Coulson. She knew she needed to talk to him and set things straight, but at the same time she was an utter coward and was willing to use anything to postpone that moment as much as possible.

"Thank you."

Banner's reply startled her out of that contemplative circle, gaining him her attention again.

"Everyone should be reminded now and then, that there are still people who don't judge them by appearances." she smiled lightly.

OoOoO

"Where did you find all these people?"

Unfazed by Selvig's cheerful voice, Barton continued to type away at the handheld computer he had been using. They had set up an improvised laboratory in a part of the abandoned catacombs Clint had led them to, after Selvig had told them what he needed to build a machine which could withstand the Tesseract's energy.

"S.H.I.E.L.D. has no shortage of enemies, Doctor." he replied before turning over the screen toward the man. "Is this the stuff you need?"

"Yeah, iridium... it's found in meteorites, it forms anti-protons." the scientist nodded. "It's very hard to get a hold of."

"Especially if S.H.I.E.L.D. knows you need it."

"Well, I didn't know until now..."

Sighting Loki as he approached, the male once again smiled.

"Hey! The Tesseract has shown me so much... it's more than knowledge; it's truth."

"I know..." the Æsir replied with a sly smile.

Truly... what a primitive race humans were; for all their claims of being intelligent, for all their technology, they were still just as simple minded and as easy to control as their ancestors.

"What did it show you, agent Barton?" he now asked, looking to the young male.

"My next target."

"Tell me what you need."

"I need a diversion... and an eyeball."

OoOoO

"Don't worry about it... she'll come talk to you, when she's ready."

Looking to the agent, Steve nodded lightly while holding back the urge to sigh.

"I just have no idea what made her avoid me like this."

"She's still recovering from that breakdown... she's probably still trying to get back into a mental comfort zone. Just give her a bit of time; I think she'll be fine."

"We got a hit... a 67% match. Wait... cross match... 79%." Sitwell suddenly called out.

Almost startled from his conversation with Steve, Coulson immediately moved over to Sitwell's side to check the screen.

"Location?" he asked.

"Stuttgart, Germany... 28 Köningstrasse. He's not exactly hiding..."

"Captain..." Fury called out. "You're up..."

"I'll go get Kara." Coulson stated.

"No!" Steve said. "Not until we get an idea of what this guy can do. I wanna see just how strong he is, first..."

Looking to Fury who nodded in agreement, the agent then smiled lightly to the soldier.

"I'll have Natasha ready the Quinjet then. Be careful out there..."

"I will. Don't tell her that we're going there, she's stubborn enough to follow us on her own."

With that he left the bridge to retrieve his uniform; somehow he had a bad feeling about all this. He felt uneasy, as if something was right there in front of him but he couldn't see it... something he was certain that he wouldn't like. Shaking his head to drive away those silly thoughts, he took to changing into the suit. Most likely it was just his mind being tense because – other than that scepter he was carrying – they had literally no idea just what Loki was capable of.

Upon arriving in Stuttgart an hour later, however, he was met with a familiar yet disturbing sight... it certainly wasn't the first time he'd seen an entire crowd kneeling before one man.

"Great..." he muttered in annoyance, retrieving his shield. "Another Schmidt..."

"Cap, you should get going..." Natasha warned, as she sighted Loki pointing the weapon at one of the citizens.

"Got it."

Leaping out of the back of the Quinjet, he now sighted the reason for that concerned shade in the woman's tone. Having landed on top of the statue set in the middle of the plaza, he pushed against the stone with his feet, leaping again and landing in front of the old man Loki had been threatening. In that same instant the Æsir fired the weapon only to have the energy bounce off Steve's shield and hit him straight in the stomach with such force that he felt his lungs emptying of air in a short gasp.

"You know, the last time I was in Germany and saw a man standing above everyone else... we ended up disagreeing."

"The soldier..." Loki retorted ironically, while moving to stand. "The man out of time..."

Right now he was truly grateful that he had thought of asking Barton for information regarding the possible recruits S.H.I.E.L.D. might have tried to use against him.

"I'm not the one who's out of time."

At Steve's retort, Loki's gaze was drawn to the sky behind him, where Natasha had steered the Quinjet and readied the aircraft's weapons to fire upon him.

"Loki, drop the weapon and stand down." she demanded.

Before she'd even finished speaking, she barely had enough time to steer the Quinjet to the side so as to avoid a direct hit from Loki's scepter.

"Guess I pissed someone off..." she muttered to herself.

Down on the ground Steve took advantage of that distraction to try and engage Loki in direct combat, only to realize almost instantly that even he was severely outmatched by the dark haired Æsir. When his punch failed to even move Loki, other than turning his head, Steve felt utterly grateful that he had told Coulson to not let Kara tag along. If the guy was this insanely strong, that even he with all of Erskine's serum could be thrown around like a rag doll, he truly feared to see the full extent of Loki's abilities.

Regardless, he wasn't going to go down without a fight, despite not really seeing any way to win. What he hadn't expected, was Tony's sudden appearance – preceded by rock music suddenly blasting out of the Quinjet's speakers – and the fact that his energy blasts seemed powerful enough to finally overcome Loki's strength.

"Make your move, Reindeer Games..."

Looking up at the iron-suited male who was now pointing about ten weapons at him, Loki ultimately allowed his armor to fade off and raised his hands in defeat; so far it seemed the plan was proceeding as he had foretold. And as he watched Tony and Steve falling into his carefully weaved web, it only strengthened his belief that humans were, for the most part, utter idiots.

"Good move."

OoOoO

"I don't like it..."

Looking to Steve as they now stood in the Quinjet, with Loki sitting peacefully at the back, Tony clicked his tongue.

"What? Rock of Ages giving up so easily?"

"I don't remember it being that easy. This guy packs a wallop..."

"Still, you are pretty spry... for an older fellow. What's your thing? Pilates?"

"What?"

"You might have missed a few things... you know, doing time as a... Capsicle."

Clenching his jaw to hold back the urge to just punch Tony again, Steve instead offered him a trace of sarcastic smile.

"Fury didn't tell me he was calling you in."

"Yeah, there's a lot of things Fury doesn't tell you."

Their jab contest was ended abruptly when the Quinjet suddenly found itself in the middle of what looked like a thunderstorm.

"What's the matter?" Steve asked, sighting the worried expression on Loki's face. "You scared of a little thunder?"

"I'm not overly fond of what follows." the Æsir replied, knowing exactly who he would have to deal with in a few moments.

Indeed, just after he had finished speaking, the entire Quinjet trembled down to its hinges. With Tony and Steve retrieving their masks and the scientist opening up the back of the Quinjet, Loki finally set eyes upon the one person he really had not wanted to see... the Thunder God himself. Before anyone could react properly, the blond Æsir slammed his hammer into Tony's chest throwing him back, before he reached out to grasp Loki by his coat and flew off with him.

"Now there's that guy..." Tony sighed in utter annoyance.

"Another Asgardian?" Natasha asked.

"That guy's a friendly?" Steve called out.

"Doesn't matter..." the scientist replied. "If he frees Loki or kills him, the Tesseract's lost."

"Stark, we need a plan of attack!"

"I have a plan... attack."

With that retort he now flew out of the Quinjet to track down their hostage. Sighing, Steve now rushed to retrieve a parachute and strap it to his back. Taking up his shield again, he leapt out hoping that he could find Tony in time to help him. Around the same time, Thor had just decided to stop on a cliff in the forest they had been flying over. Tossing Loki to the ground, he landed a couple of steps away, trying his best to keep a menacing expression despite his every urge to just laugh in joy and hug his brother.

"Where is the Tesseract?"

"Oh, I've missed you too..." Loki chuckled, still lying flat on his back.

"Do I look to be in a gaming mood?"

Finally moving to stand, Loki offered the blond Æsir a rather ironic smile.

"Oh, you should thank me. With the Bifrost gone, how much dark energy did the Allfather have to muster to conjure you here? Your precious Earth..."

Dropping the hammer, Thor ultimately gave in to his own feelings and reached out to grab Loki's arm, his other hand settling onto the back of his sibling's neck. With all said and done, Loki was still his brother and seeing him alive – despite the madness he had started in Midgard – was enough to almost bring tears of joy to Thor's eyes.

"I thought you dead."

"Did you mourn?" Loki asked.

"We all did! Our father..."

"_Your_ father... he did tell you my true parentage, did he not?"

Tearing himself away from his brother's grasp, the dark haired god turned his back on Thor and finally clenched his jaw in pain, from the violence of his earlier impact with the ground.

"I told Kara you were dead... where were you?"

It was at those words that Loki's eyes involuntarily widened right before he whirled around to face Thor, narrowing his eyes in disbelief.

"_What_?" he hissed.

He was utterly stunned at the sheer stupidity of the one he had called brother for so many centuries.

"I believed you were dead... what else could I have done? She had the right to know..."

For a moment even Thor himself felt unsettled beneath the slicing anger in his brother's eyes; but then it was entirely gone so fast that it caught him off guard.

"And you call yourself my brother..." he finally huffed.

His tone sounded so eerily calm that it gave Thor the chills, despite the sight of tears now twinkling in his brother's eyes.

"We were raised together... we played together, we fought together. Do you remember none of that?" he said, desperately hoping that Loki could still be swayed back toward the brother he remembered.

"I remember a shadow living in the shade of your greatness. I remember you taking everything away from me, as you did with her after I was gone. I remember you tossing me into an abyss. I, who was and should be king!"

"So you take the world I love as a recompense for your imagined slights? No... the Earth is under my protection, Loki."

"And you're doing a marvelous job of that." Loki chuckled. "The humans slaughter each other in droves while you idly fret. I mean to rule them, as why should I not?"

"You think yourself above them?"

That question actually managed to catch Loki off guard.

"Well yes..." he replied, wondering just how in the world Thor had failed to notice something so obvious.

"Then you miss the truth of ruling, brother. A throne would suit you ill."

Giving in to his anger, the dark haired Æsir smacked Thor over the chest whilst he walked by him.

"I've seen worlds you've never known about! I have grown, _Odin's son_, in my exile." he sneered. "I have seen the true power of the Tesseract and when I wield it..."

"Who showed you this power?" Thor interrupted him. "Who controls the would-be king?"

"I am a king!" Loki shouted.

"Not here!" he shouted back, once more grabbing the younger sibling's arms. "You give up the Tesseract; you give up this poisonous dream! You come home..."

His pleading tone as he said the last words was enough to briefly melt Loki's frown and leave behind an awed but longing gaze. There was still some tiny part of him rebelling against the Tesseract's desires. Oh yes, he had long since realized that the Tesseract energy Thanos had used on him was controlling his mind – and therefore his actions – but he could still feel that somewhere deep down there was a part of him which the Tesseract had been unable to subdue.

But no, he had come much too far to stop now...

"I don't have it..." he finally huffed, a defying smile curving his lips.

Unfazed when Thor released him and summoned his hammer in an attempt to frighten him into revealing where the Tesseract was, Loki merely shrugged.

"You need the Cube to bring me home, but I've sent it off I know not where."

"You listen well, brother..."

Having mentally prepared himself for one of Thor's speeches, Loki arched a brow when Tony slammed into his brother's side, knocking him off the cliff.

"I'm listening..." he said with a heavily sarcastic tone in his voice.

Sighting Thor throwing his hammer into Tony's chest and sending him flying back, he now seated himself onto a rock; in order for his plan to work, he had to let them take him as their hostage anyway, so enjoying the fight seemed like a good way to not get bored until they decided to take him back. His fun was cut short when Steve caught up with them and ended the fight after Thor smashed his hammer against the soldier's shield, the vibranium reflecting the energy wave and amplifying it until all the trees in that entire area had been put to the ground.

Glancing at the destruction around them, Steve now inhaled deeply in an attempt to not give in to his anger.

"Are we done here?"


	19. Entry 18

Sooo lovelies here's the next episode of my little endeavor. Hope y'all enjoyed the setup for _The Avengers_, because now we're getting down to business... mischievous business, that is, with Loki finally taking the stage again ;)

So enjoy, darlings, and do toss me a penny/review to let me know what y'all think~ ( ˘ ³˘)❤

P.S. Every _Thor/The Avengers/Thor: The Dark World_ character belongs to the wonderful Marvel. I own nothing, except my OCs :)

* * *

**Entry #18**

_"Are we done here?"_

oOo

_**Location: **__S.H.I.E.L.D. Helicarrier_

_**Date: **__May 18, 2012_

"Kara, we need you on the bridge." Coulson said, entering her room.

"What happened?" the young woman perked up.

Smiling lightly, the agent shook his head.

"Nothing yet... at least nothing bad. I just thought you might want to see Thor... he's here."

In spite of the painful cringe of her heart, she was still unable to fully withhold a smile at the mention of that name. Following Coulson, her humor died a swift death at the sight of the expression on the blond Æsir's face.

"Thor..."

Looking to her, the male's expression lit up in a smile although it was too easy for her to tell that he was uncomfortable. Recalling his words from the letter he had sent her, she forced herself to smile in return as much as she could, walking over to the bulky male and holding out her hand.

"I know you did all you could... he was your brother. There's nothing that I need to forgive."

Although he had grasped her hand with the intention of kissing it, the Æsir's gesture was cut short by her words when the realization hit him that she didn't know of Loki's return to Midgard.

"They haven't told you?"

If he'd had any doubts as to her knowledge on the matter, the utterly puzzled expression on her face blew them all away.

"Tell me what?" she asked, shooting a suspicious glance to Steve, Natasha and Bruce who had gathered around the table nearby.

And then it hit her... that voice, coming from the video panels built into the table; she had dismissed them as just the group researching information. For a moment she went completely pale, that Thor grasped her arm to prevent her from falling to the floor.

_"It's an impressive cage. Not built, I think, for me..."_

That soft, velvety chuckle... that defiant, sarcastic tone... even as she reached with a trembling hand and pushed the buttons on the table to bring up a fourth video panel for her, her mind was already screaming the obvious in her face.

"Loki..." she breathed at the sight of the young male standing in the glass case.

Down in the detention area, Fury was still staring down the dark haired god.

"Built for something a lot stronger than you."

"Oh, I've heard." he now said, looking straight into one of the cameras aimed at the cage. "The mindless beast... that makes play he's still a man. How desperate are you? You call on such lost creatures to defend you..."

"How desperate am I? You threaten my world with war, you steal a power you can't hope to control, you talk about peace and you kill because it's fun. You have made me _very desperate_... you might not be glad that you did."

"Wooh... it burns you to have come so close." Loki retorted utterly satisfied. "To have the Tesseract, to have power... _unlimited_ power. And for what? A warm light for all mankind to share? And then to be reminded what real power is."

A few tense moments followed his little speech, while Fury simply stared him down; with all said and done, Loki had hit him straight where it hurt the most. Because he couldn't deny that it did burn him to have the Cube snatched so easily from his grasp, even if only due to his own ego as a soldier. If anything, he had such an urge to just punch Loki in the face and it almost frightened him to see just how easily the dark haired Æsir could bring out those violent desires in him.

"Well let me know if _real power_ wants a magazine or something." he almost spat out, turning to leave.

He'd only taken a couple of steps away from the cage when Loki's words stopped him in his tracks.

"I do want something, actually..."

That tone actually made him cringe inwardly, and even though he turned to face Loki again, he utterly dreaded to hear what the menace could ask for. Back on the bridge everyone aside from Kara and Thor now glanced at one another in confusion, until Loki's voice rang out into the tall chamber.

_"You have something that belongs to me... I want to see her."_

"What... what in the world is he talking about?" Bruce asked. "What could Fury possibly have that would belong to Loki?"

"Maybe he means the scepter..." Steve suggested.

"No, he said he wants to see _her_." Natasha pointed out. "So he's talking about someone... why would he want to see the scepter?"

"Maybe it's just him talking crazy, trying to get Fury all worked up and..."

"He means Kara."

Thor's deep voice had everyone else turn to stare at him in utter shock, even Maria who had been following the video transmission onto one of Fury's panels. When the Thunder God's expression betrayed no shade of humor, all eyes in the room finally turned upon the young woman who was still silently staring at the screen before her.

"Sir, we need you on the bridge..." Maria said into her earpiece.

_"On my way."_

With that reply Fury now used that as an excuse to finally leave that menacing presence and get away from the sudden intensity that had flooded Loki's gaze. Moments later he stepped onto the bridge only to stare in utter confusion at the group gathered around the table.

"Who died?" he asked, as that was the most logical conclusion he could draw from their stunned expressions.

A quick visual sweep of the room told him that everyone was there, aside from Tony whom he knew was taking a bit of time to recover from his scuffle with Thor.

Looking up to see Thor watching her with some concern, Kara ultimately heaved a sigh and leaned against the table after the video panel had shut down.

"I'm the one he wants to see..." she said, doing her best to avoid looking Steve in the eye.

For a few seconds utter silence reigned between them, a thing which Kara was truly grateful for, because it gave her the time to steel her resolve... she had to tell them everything. She'd kept them in the dark far longer than she should have; and with Loki apparently bent on conquering Earth, there was simply no more way around it. She had to let them know...

"What?"

Fury's half-whispered question, sounding almost like a weak gasp, drew her azure gaze to the Director; and the shade of sincerity he saw in her eyes was enough to crush his last hope that maybe he'd heard wrong.

"Can you call Phil and Tony?" she asked, looking over to Maria. "This is something they need to hear as well..."

"Ye-yes..."

With one last worried glance, the woman left the room only to return some minutes later with the two males in tow.

"You'd find more cheer in a graveyard..." Tony remarked as soon as they set foot on the bridge.

When Maria pointed them to a pair of chairs around the table, Coulson now averted his eyes to Kara and suddenly a cold shiver rolled down his spine; that look on her face was something he had never seen before. It was a sort of resolve mixed with resignation, except it somehow gave him such a terrifying sensation.

"Sit down, Nick... please..." she said softly.

Recovering from his shocked state to some extent, the male ultimately complied, leaving only Kara and Thor still standing. For a moment, watching them gathered at that table staring at her, she felt as if she was back in school, standing before the class without having learned her lecture. It was such a childish and unexpected idea that for a split second she almost burst out laughing.

"So, what is this all about?" Coulson finally asked. "What happened?"

"Nick was talking to Loki just now... and Loki asked to see me."

"No, he didn't say any name." Fury protested when Coulson turned to stare at him in shock. "He only said..."

"Nick..."

Her soft tone literally blocked the words in his throat and the expression on her face angered him simply because it didn't allow him to deny it. Setting her hands onto the back of the nearest chair, she pressed her fingers into the black leather.

"I first met Loki many years ago, when I was ten." she began, her voice ever so faintly shaking as she already felt her throat twisting into a knot. "I should have died that day, getting run over by a car... it seems fate had another plan for me, because he saved my life. After that he kept visiting me at night, in my dreams. We shared a beautiful friendship for some years... until I grew up and that feeling changed into love."

A fleeting glance was all she could bear to see of Steve's shocked expression; this was torture, and she knew it wasn't just for her... she knew Steve had to feel the same way.

"You asked me what happened on my first mission... the one in London. _He_ happened... he came to see me after he'd been gone for two whole years. We spent the night together but he left before I'd even woken up... and I didn't hear from him for the following six years. Until Phil arrested Thor that night in the desert. He came back then, to visit Thor... we talked and then..."

Inhaling deeply, she clenched her jaw; how the hell could those memories _still_ hurt like this, even now when she'd seen Loki alive? Or was it that her mind had yet to actually grasp the reality of the situation?

"And then the whole madness with the Destroyer happened..." she finally continued, utterly unable to stop tears from filling her eyes. "Thor went back to Asgard to stop Loki... and all I got in return was his letter, saying that Loki had died. I just... I was destroyed. I'd lost my mother, I didn't even believe that my father was still alive... and now I'd lost the man I loved the most. I tried to concentrate on work, tried to somehow put it all behind me... I couldn't. Then when my father encouraged me to try and move on, I thought I could. Really, I believed I could do it... that I could leave Loki in the past and just live my life again. And all I managed to do was just amass so much... grief and guilt... that I nearly lost my sanity."

With silence stretching on, she now glanced over the others; from Coulson's worried expression, to Nick's stunned gaze, to Natasha's sorrowful look... and to Steve's utterly hurt and painful frown.

"I know how that must sound to you..." she said, finally mustering enough courage to sustain his gaze. "And I hope you can somehow believe me that I had no intention of using you... I really wanted to move on, I wanted it so badly. I wanted to just get over Loki and give you the love you deserve... I just failed to do that."

When the soldier merely stood from his seat and stormed out of the room, was when Kara ultimately felt her tears overflowing. Not even Coulson's reassuring grasp of her hand was enough to soothe her even if she did return his gesture.

"I'm so sorry..." she whispered, looking down to their joint hands which now appeared blurry in front of her eyes. "I should've told you from the start... you always were the closest thing I knew to a father ever since I arrived here. I just... I was so afraid to tell anyone... I thought you'd all believe I was crazy if I started talking about gods from another planet."

"I understand that it was hard for you... and I understand why you felt that you had to keep it a secret. But I'm glad you trusted us, even after so much time." he replied, offering her that warm, fatherly smile she had grown so fond of over the years.

The sound of Fury's heavy, long sigh as he leaned back into his chair and crossed his arms, now drew her attention to the dark skinned male.

"I'm wondering if things could possibly get any worse than this..." he stated contemplatively, looking up at the ceiling.

"This is a joke, right?"

For a moment even Tony was taken aback by how abruptly everyone turned to stare at him after his question.

"I mean... he's obviously manipulating her in some way." he continued. "I refuse to believe that a man who can threaten a hundred people at once is capable of loving someone other than himself."

"Loki is beyond reason..." Thor agreed. "But I know him better than any of you, he's my brother. And I believe he does sincerely love Kara. To him she is unlike any other woman he has ever met. At first he was intrigued with her and her unusual gifts... but now it's more than just intrigue or infatuation. He may not care about any other human in your world... but he cares about her."

"I think you should pull me off this mission, Nick..." the young woman now stated.

"Why?" he asked, finally lowering his gaze back to her. "It's basically the same thing as Iraq."

"No, Iraq was different... I didn't know that it was my father we were there to rescue. This... this is something else; I know now who it is that I'm supposed to fight. And you can't ask me to fight him..."

"Wait... wait so what are you saying? That you're going to join him?" Bruce suddenly perked up.

"Of course not; I would never help him do anything that would endanger my own people. But I can't fight him either... I'm not saying it simply because of my feelings for him. I literally _cannot_ fight him."

"Why not?" Natasha asked confusedly.

"You all believed my ability is something unique... but it's not. Loki can get into other people's heads much better and easier than I ever could. The only difference is that I was born with it... his comes from his knowledge of magic."

"What else can you tell us about him?" Coulson asked. "How he fights... how he thinks..."

"I haven't seen him in actual combat before, that's something Thor could tell you better than me."

"He is highly proficient with all kinds of weapons." Thor replied. "We have fought together countless times. And as a master of magic, he is very fond of illusions... he prefers tricking his enemies and having them fall into his traps, rather than confronting them directly. But when he does engage in direct combat, he is deadly..."

Now that he was actually saying it out loud, it gave him the chills to think that he would likely have to fight his brother again soon. As much as he hoped it would not come to that, he was almost certain that Loki would not stop, much less give up without a fight.

"So why you?" Fury asked, again looking to the young woman. "I can see why he'd be interested in what you can do, but even so..."

"That's not something I can answer, Nick... it was his choice to return my feelings and I never questioned it because I had no reason to do that."

"Maybe... this is a good thing after all..." Bruce pondered.

"What? That one of our own team is actually the villain's lover?" Tony retorted sarcastically.

"Well, yeah... think about it. What if she could persuade Loki to put an end to all this insanity? I mean, the guy's obviously not going to stop on his own. Maybe she could push him to do that... if he actually loves her, wouldn't that be a good enough leverage for her to get him to return the Tesseract?"

"He won't do it, even for me, if he doesn't gain something out of it as well." she replied. "Has he told you yet of what he wants?"

"He has an army, called the Chitauri..." Thor said. "They're not of Asgard, nor any world known. He means to lead them against your people and they will win him the Earth... in return, I suspect, for the Tesseract."

"He wants to rule the human race..." Fury retorted, sighting the puzzled expression on her face.

"And you expect that I can reason with him, when he has such high demands?" she asked.

"Not reason..." Natasha said, having by now caught onto Bruce's idea. "Tug at his feelings for you; basically just submit him to emotional blackmail."

In the silence that followed, Kara glanced to each one of the group gathered before her, desperately hoping that at least one of them would realize how insane that idea was. Ultimately sighing in resignation, she lowered her head.

"This is a bad idea..." she muttered.

* * *

Sooo today's replies for my darlings :D

1. **SuperNaturalxxFreak** - Honey, you really humble me each and every time with your kind words. I'm so glad that you take the same joy in reading the chapters on the website, as you do when you beta-read them. It really means so much to me to have your help and support, and to see you so excited for this story.

So thank you, love, for all your dedication and support; you're just pure awesomeness.

2. **EverlastingMuse** - Aww, I'm so glad to hear you enjoyed this chapter (and the previous ones I assume). Thank you so much for reviewing and I'm looking forward to hearing from you again :D

3. **Callie Cat** - Darling, you are much too kind, thank you so much for the lovely reviews. I am utterly humbled that you would compare my writing attempt to an actual novel, really that's just an overwhelming compliment.

And I'm so glad I managed to properly depict Loki's inner workings, in a manner that would satisfy the other fans. I try my best to keep him in character, and it's such a tremendous and overwhelming honor to be able to add my own view to the already astounding and fantastic work that Tom has done with this character.

So thank you, love, for your utterly flattering and humbling reviews. I hope you enjoy this chapter as well and I'm looking forward to hearing from you again.

So these are my replies for today. Cheers, lovelies~ ( ˘ ³˘)❤


	20. Entry 19

So, lovelies, here's the next chapter. And I'm sure a lot of you have been looking forward to seeing Loki in that cage again, so I won't hold you with a long rant ;)

Just remember to toss me a review, my brain feeds on them :D

Now enjoy, darlings~

P.S. Every _Thor/The Avengers/Thor: The Dark World_ character belongs to the wonderful Marvel. I own nothing, except my OCs :)

* * *

**Entry #19**

_"This is a bad idea..."_

oOo

_**Location: **__S.H.I.E.L.D. Helicarrier_

_**Date: **__May 18 / 19, 2012_

Boring... boring... it was so utterly, _painfully_ boring to just sit in that cage with nothing to distract him, while he waited for Barton to do his part of the plan and bring down the flying fortress. Though he now inhaled deeply with the intention to sigh as he stood in the middle of the cage, examining one of the barren walls surrounding his cell, his intuition suddenly perked up alerting him that he was no longer alone. Judging by the aura he could perceive it wasn't that simpleton who called himself the leader of that ship and it didn't seem to be the soldier either... not to mention that if it had been Thor, he would have heard him coming a mile away, without even needing his instincts to warn him.

When his mind suddenly latched onto a word... a name... and yelled it out in his head, he momentarily felt rooted to the spot. Her... it had to be her. For a brief moment his expression finally betrayed such a painful shade that Kara would have probably been shaken to her very core from seeing it. He had wanted to see her so much... but he had also dreaded this moment, fearing of just what he might see; especially after Thor had told him that she'd believed him dead for so long.

Ultimately recomposing himself he now turned to face her and the first sight of her eyes, despite the warm gaze she was offering him, actually made his heart quiver. Broken... she was so broken on the inside that he had to clench his jaw in order to not give in to his own feelings; after all, he wasn't about to start crying in that place where others could see him.

"You're getting better at sneaking up on me, dearest..." he finally said with a shade of smile.

It wasn't so much his words, as it was the overwhelming warmth in his tone that now had Fury and the others stare in shock at Loki as they watched the entire scene via the video panels. Was that truly the same Loki who had threatened to kill them all no more than a few hours earlier?

"What's she doing?" Bruce asked curiously, as they watched Kara silently approaching until she was standing no more than a few inches from the cage door.

When she raised a hand and snapped her fingers causing the console to activate on its own, Fury raised a hand to stop Maria from alerting the guards. He was actually curious to watch this unfold in its entirety. And while he didn't trust Loki, he trusted Kara enough to know that she wouldn't let him escape.

Loki himself had watched her in some confusion until the door slid open; when she stepped into the cage and allowed the glass panel to close behind her, he actually found that he had no idea how to react. Yes, he wanted so much to just hold her and kiss her until they were both out of breath, but at the same time he was afraid to touch her. Never before had she appeared so vulnerable in front of him, that he would feel as if she could crumble at the slightest pressure.

He was actually startled – and visibly so when his shoulders jolted – when she approached him and he sighted the way her hand trembled as she reached up until her fingertips ghosted over his cheek, while tears slowly overflowed from her eyes. Almost out of reflex he latched onto her mind when she opened her mouth to speak, only to have her throat tighten in a knot which blocked the words. And what he found in her most recent memories was so utterly terrifying that before he'd consciously thought of it, he grasped her hand and pressed a kiss to her palm, only to be spared for a moment from the sight of her gaze which he could read as easily as a book.

"Forgive me..."

His words actually stunned her; she had expected to hear anything from him... except that. The sight of his teary gaze as he looked back to her, however, snapped her out of that state. Retrieving her hand from his grasp she instead wrapped her arms around his neck, embracing him tightly as though she was afraid he would vanish if she released him.

"Don't cry... don't cry, my love..." she whispered pleadingly.

The sound of her voice ultimately allowed him to recover from the suddenness of that embrace, and he returned her gesture while burying his lips and nose in her hair. This... this was Paradise and for a moment he actually fancied just abandoning everything and going away with her. Away from this miserable world which had done nothing to keep her from falling apart in his absence; away from these idiotic humans and from his brother; away from everything else.

But he couldn't... he knew Chthon's words had not been in vain; Thanos would be able to find him no matter where he went and he dreaded the idea of that monster being anywhere near Kara.

"You really are a foolish girl, for coming back to me..." he muttered painfully, his slender fingers now trailing through her hair.

"I thought it was the other way around..."

At those words, Coulson and Fury exchanged a glance which spoke more than they could have said with words; it was the first time in months that they had actually heard that genuinely humorous tone in her voice. And still, in spite of the sheer insanity of the situation they were in, they were unable to fully withhold a smile. That was the extent to which they had come to care for her, that it made them happy to see her happy... no matter who or what gave her that happiness.

That amused huff she knew so well by now sent a pleasant shiver along her spine, and she sighed in relief whilst her mind relished in the fact that he was actually there with her... that he wasn't just some figment of her broken mind anymore. It was only her desire to see his face that ultimately compelled her to release him, although her smile was short lived.

"They're different..." she whispered as she stared up at him. "Your eyes..."

In an instant his expression went from that loving smile to a shade of such pure fear that she felt her heart cringe.

"Loki... where were you?"

No reply came from the dark haired Æsir, as he inwardly prayed that his silence would deter her from questioning him further. But when she narrowed her eyes at him and he realized she was trying to circumvent his plan by latching onto his mind, he felt a surge of terror swelling in his chest again.

"Don't..." he whispered, almost as if he was begging her, while his eyes shifted to such a sorrowful gaze that Kara felt about to burst into tears.

His warning came one moment too late, however... when her mind attempted to reach out and grasp onto his, her lungs emptied of air as if someone had punched her in the stomach; her eyes widened and her knees turned to jelly; she only had enough sense left to feel Loki's arms tightening around her to keep her from hitting the floor, before darkness took her.

OoOoO

The first thing she heard was her choked gasp... and the first thing she saw... well that was a bit complicated. While her eyes were blinded by bright white lights, her mind instantly recalled the eerily blue glow which had blinded her... brain, apparently. She really had no idea how else she could describe it.

"Vicious..." she whispered, the sound of her own voice startling her.

Yes, _vicious_ was a fitting word for the sensation she'd gotten. Just what in the world had that been? It was as if something or someone had punched her in the face for trying to enter Loki's mind... but she refused to believe it was him.

"Are you okay?"

The voice which posed that question had been so unexpected, that Kara instantly turned her head to the side, to see Steve sitting on a chair near the bed she'd been laid in.

"Yeah..." she replied softly.

It was when she tried raising her hand to use it as leverage and sit up, that she realized it was trapped beneath his. And somehow it made her feel so happy and so guilty at the same time, to see him still showing so much care for her.

"I'm sorry..." she finally said, squeezing his hand.

At her words the soldier heaved a sigh and trailed his other hand through his hair.

"I wasn't actually _that_ surprised... somehow, I think I always knew you loved someone else. That someone you told me about... it was him, wasn't it?"

Nodding lightly, Kara now closed her eyes with a deep breath.

"Thor told me he fell during their fight... he believed Loki was dead, and I had no way of questioning that."

Watching her silently as she spoke, the soldier took in her words with a somewhat clenched jaw. He had so wanted to hear that particular shade of warmth in her tone... and to hear it when she spoke about that... he frankly didn't even know what to call Loki. He definitely wasn't human, that much he could tell. But to call him a _god_ was a bit of a stretch... maybe he was a demon?

The first thing he'd wanted to do after leaving the bridge had been to go to the detention wing and just throw another punch at Loki; but ultimately even he realized it would have been nothing more than a childish reaction. It irked him to no end that he seemed to have stumbled into a badly written movie where the bad guy got to win, for a change. Even if they did manage to stop Loki's plans of taking over Earth, he knew the truth... Loki had already won in that personal battle, long before Fury had even found him in that glacier.

But damn it, he just couldn't bring himself to hate her; God knew how much he had wanted that when she'd told him that her heart had never belonged to him, but to Loki who hadn't even done anything to earn it. But he couldn't... no matter how desperately he tried, he couldn't erase that feeling which had begun to take root in his very core. Hell, he couldn't even hold back from smiling as he watched her.

"I'd still jump after you any day of the week." he stated, trying his best to sound amused.

For a second she looked at him with wide eyes, clearly having not expected to hear that from him, until her expression melted into that warm smile he had grown quite fond of.

"Then you're still a courageous fool..." she retorted.

Finally sitting up, she found her attention drawn to the door when Fury entered the medical ward.

"How are you feeling?"

"I'm fine... don't blow this out of proportion, Nick."

For a moment he was utterly taken aback by her words that his voice died out even though he had opened his mouth to do just what she had asked him not to.

"What exactly did he do to you in there?" Steve asked, when the silence started becoming awkward. "They told me one moment you were just looking at him, then you fainted right there in his arms."

"I don't think it was him doing it..."

"Kara..."

Looking up at Fury when his stern tone reached her ears, she felt her brow furrowing.

"It wasn't him, Nick!" she insisted. "I know you don't trust him, but I do... he never did anything to hurt me... at least not physically."

Looking to Steve's confused expression she sighed and lowered her head into her hands; damn that migraine... it made her temples throb as if someone was playing the drums in her head.

"I tried to latch onto his mind... I wanted to know where he was and what he was doing for the past year. And I couldn't..."

"What's that supposed to mean?" Fury frowned.

Her gaze when she again looked up at him gave him a really bad feeling and he knew he was going to hear something that he wouldn't like.

"I think someone else is pushing him from behind..."

OoOoO

"For the last time, I will _not_ let you defend him! Is that clear?"

Still gathered around the table on the main bridge, the entire group looked up upon hearing Fury's angry tone, only to sight the male approaching them with Kara and Steve in tow.

"Will you quit being so narrow-minded?" she frowned, grasping his arm to force him to a halt. "Why can't you accept the fact that I know him better than you or anyone else here, aside from Thor?"

"He killed eighty people... _eighty_! In two days..." the Director retorted through his teeth. "I'm not going to let you defend a criminal."

"Well, this is an interesting play." Tony stated humorously. "Mind letting us in on the plot?"

With Fury merely huffing in exasperation and Steve seating himself with just a heavy sigh, Thor approached the young woman.

"Kara... what happened?"

Her pointed gaze almost had him take a step back, but that thought was deterred when she crossed her arms and spoke.

"Thor, did you notice anything different about Loki?"

"I do not understand what you're..."

"His eyes, Thor." she replied impatiently. "What color are they?"

"Green."

His lack of hesitation had her frown at him; really, how the hell could he not notice that obvious change in his own brother?

"Well they're not anymore... they're blue, just like... like the Tesseract."

Her voice was almost a whisper as she stated those last words, when her mind suddenly began putting together some pieces of that whole picture.

"Kara?"

Looking to Coulson's concerned expression, the young woman clenched her jaw; well, this was definitely going to be an unpleasant discussion, especially with Fury being as stubborn as he was.

"Thor... what exactly _is_ the Tesseract?" she asked tentatively, hoping he could provide her with some information to fill the gaps she still had in that puzzle.

"On Asgard we know it as one of the six Infinity Stones. I never learned much of its abilities, other than the fact that with the right amount of energy it can be used as a substitute for the Bifrost. It was supposed to have been locked in the Weapons' Vault, along with many other powerful artifacts. My father never spoke much of the items displayed there. I did not even know it was gone, until now."

"Well, that's helpful..." she muttered.

"Call it morbid curiosity, but what exactly are you getting at?" Fury finally asked.

"When I was captured in Iraq, I was unconscious for three days. During that time I met Loki... I dismissed it as just a dream, but something happened during that time. It's an image that was simply burned into my memory. It was... I don't know how to describe it... imagine if the Tesseract suddenly exploded into a glowing ball of light, pretty much like the sun."

"Is that all you saw?"

Ignoring the awed gazes thrown Thor's way after he had posed that question, Kara shook her head whilst narrowing her eyes as she tried to recall that vision accurately.

"There was someone else there... it wasn't just Loki. There was someone in the midst of that light... I only caught a fleeting glimpse of whatever or _whoever_ that was, because Loki forced me awake. He..."

Her throat dried up as she recalled that heartbreaking expression on his face.

"He was afraid... more than afraid, he was terrified..." she pondered.

"Because of you seeing that... being?" Bruce asked.

"I don't think that was it. At first when that... sun or whatever, started shining on me he told me not to turn around. He kept urging me to open my eyes. But I don't think it was the idea of me seeing it that frightened him. Somehow it felt like he was afraid of that thing seeing _me_..."

"So how does all that tie in with you going all K.I.A. earlier?" Steve retorted.

"I said that I tried to latch onto his mind, to find out where he was for the past year. And I couldn't... something just... kicked me out."

"Maybe he didn't want you finding out all his dirty little secrets." Tony stated, utterly unimpressed.

For a moment she watched the young scientist with an expression mixing surprise and disappointment that he seemed to be taking all that as a joke.

"I'm saying there was something else there..." she replied dryly.

"What like... someone's possessing him?"

"No, but there is certainly another presence there; and it's just so... brutal and vicious... I thought my brain was going to explode."

"Well he's brutal and vicious, we saw that first hand..."

His retort was interrupted when the young woman gave in to her anger and slammed her hands onto the table.

"Damn it, Tony! You're not even listening to me!"

Shooting her a pointed gaze, the scientist crossed his arms.

"Because you're not saying anything worth hearing... he's a criminal and no matter how much you love him that's not gonna change."

For a split second he actually regretted that remark when she narrowed her eyes at him in sheer anger, her gaze betraying a sort of sorrowful surprise at his lack of trust in her.

"You fucking asshole..." she hissed, turning on her heels and storming off.

* * *

Sooo today's replies for my darlings :D

1. **SuperNaturalxxFreak** - Aww I'm so happy you loved this chapter and yes, I do agree. You just can't say "no" to a caged Loki. He's just... he does things to you, just seeing him caged like that xD

Thank you so much for all the love you poured onto this story, I'm really honored and happy to be working with you on it. Keep being awesome, love :D

2. **EverlastingMuse** - Haha I'm guessing you're a Steve fangirl, based on your reaction. But we all know he's too good a guy to stay upset for long ;)

Hope you liked this chapter as well. Looking forward to hearing from you again, darling :D

So these are my replies for today. Cheers, lovelies~ ( ˘ ³˘)❤


	21. Entry 20

Darlings... darlings, I am astounded! The story's up to **7.500 views**... **in less than two months**. Gawd I'm baffled. I love you guys! Really, without you this story would be nothing, and I love you all so much. Thank you, lovelies!

But I'll let y'all enjoy this next little installment. Don't forget to toss me a bone and let me know how I did... or was that a review?

P.S. Every _Thor/The Avengers/Thor: The Dark World_ character belongs to the wonderful Marvel. I own nothing, except my OCs :)

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**Entry #20**

_"He's a criminal and no matter how much you love him that's not gonna change."_

_"You fucking asshole..." she hissed, turning on her heels and storming off._

oOo

_**Location: **__S.H.I.E.L.D. Helicarrier_

_**Date: **__May 19, 2012_

"Dearest..."

The sound of that voice startled Kara out of her own thoughts, and when she raised her blurred gaze she finally realized that – despite not having consciously intended it – her feet had somehow led her back to the detention wing. Seeing Loki standing there, his slender brows twitching into a frown and his gaze gaining that angry shade she had seen before whenever he perceived that something or someone posed a threat to her, the young woman felt a shaky breath leaving her lungs. Fighting back every urge she had to just tear that door away and run into his arms, she approached the steel and glass case without a word. She knew there was no need for her to say anything... he always knew when she was upset anyway.

Briefly clenching his jaw in anger at the sight of her tear-stained face, the dark haired Æsir ultimately allowed his expression to melt into that loving shade he reserved just for her. Whoever had had the gall to make her cry would certainly regret the day they had been born.

"What has you so upset, love?" he asked, relishing in the fact that she still melted at the sound of his velvety tone.

When she failed to reply despite parting her lips and he sighted fresh tears overflowing from her eyes, his expression took on a vague sorrowful shade whilst he extended an arm toward her. No matter what he had been through, despite all of his own pain and sorrow – which would have likely destroyed any other man – it still hurt him to see her suffer, for whatever reason.

"Come here..." he said softly.

At his words and gesture she seemed to come back to life and for a moment he sighted the Kara he knew when she reached to the console nearby and opened the cage without the slightest hint of hesitation. The next thing he knew, she took a couple of steps toward him only to end up breaking into a run which caused her to slam into him at full speed, the door ultimately closing behind her; fortunately he was much too strong for her to actually move him, which only left him to lock her in a warm, soothing embrace while she silently cried in his arms.

"Hush, dearest... don't cry..." he pleaded in a soft whisper, kissing the side of her head.

Slithering into her mind even as he spoke, he was actually grateful that she had not been looking at him to sight the murderous spark in his eyes. Those fools... he was truly astounded as to how utterly stupid they were to discard her warnings, even if it suited his plans perfectly. No matter; their idiocy would be their downfall and he would take so much pleasure in showing them what it meant to anger the God of Chaos.

But she... she was getting too dangerously close to the truth and for a moment he fell prey to his own fear, which his expression betrayed entirely as did the way he involuntarily tightened his hold on her. And he knew then that he no longer had any other option... he _had_ to win. At least that way, even if she found out the whole truth, he could still keep her safe by fulfilling his part of the deal with Thanos and delivering the Tesseract.

"Don't ask any more questions..." he suddenly said.

When she tried to lean back and look into his eyes, he pressed a hand to the back of her head to hold her in place, instead whispering in her ear.

"Please, love... there is no other way. Trust me, as you once did..."

It was only when he felt her relaxing in his arms – a clear sign that she had given in to his pleas – that he leaned back to look at her; the sight of her parting her lips to speak simply in her attempt to be stubborn had him huff amusedly while a smile blossomed on his expression, before he placed his hands to her cheeks and pulled her into a loving but utterly needy kiss. He almost chuckled, actually, at the sound of her surprised mewl, before he felt her succumbing in the span of just a few moments.

In a sudden rush of euphoria she again wrapped her arms around his neck, arching her back to press herself to his body as much as his attire allowed her to; she was so happy – so happy, in far longer than she cared to remember – that she could have actually cried. And then she felt his hand tangling into her hair while his other arm settled around her waist.

_'Should I remove these bothersome clothes, dearest?'_

The sound of his seductive tone ringing in her head had her widen her eyes and part their lips, only to sight that mischievous spark in his gaze – which had by now somehow reverted to its original emerald shade – that she had so missed seeing.

"What..." she began only to have him press his lips to hers again to silence her.

"I have nothing to hide..." he retorted, trailing a finger along her neck and down toward the glimpse of cleavage that her uniform showed. "Although I suppose I should feel hurt that you considered another man's body attractive enough to try and forget me."

"Don't..." she said sternly, pointing a finger at his face. "Don't even go there... since you invited yourself into my memories, you know why I did it."

His utterly amused chuckle suddenly made her realize that he had been joking and for a moment she felt like smacking him, while her lips pursed into that pout she knew he simply adored.

"Jerk..." she muttered in annoyance.

It was at that word that she felt his finger hooking into her uniform's zipper, tugging it down until he'd exposed her chest almost entirely. When she grabbed his hand to try and deter him, she now felt his other hand creeping along the back of her head until he pushed her costume's collar away from her neck, his eyes moving to the mark he had left behind.

"Do you have any idea what you do to me, dearest?"

His unexpected question caught her off guard and all she could do was stare at him in confusion. When he leaned down to press a kiss to that tattoo, she arched her back in an attempt to use his body as cover for the fact that he had practically rendered her almost half naked in a place where anyone could see them. But despite being nervous about Fury or Coulson or Steve walking in on them, she couldn't hold back a shudder when pleasure coursed through her body like an electric jolt.

"I need you safe, Kara..." he said with a sudden mixture of sorrow and seriousness in his tone, his lips brushing against her neck as he spoke. "If I lose you, I don't know what I would be capable of doing... I need you safe, and for that I need you to trust me. I have no choice..."

Sighing lightly, the young woman ultimately wrapped her free arm around him, lovingly stroking his hair.

"I trust you..."

She was probably signing over the fate of the entire human race with those words; but how could she not trust him when she loved him so much that her heart felt about to burst from the intensity of her feelings? The moment of silence that followed gave her such an odd vibe from him... she could practically feel just how overwhelmingly relieved he was to hear that.

"I'll always trust you, no matter what happens..." she now said, before even fully realizing she'd wanted to speak.

When he leaned back and she sighted that loving expression on his face, she found it impossible to hold back a smile. It was almost as if she could see that storm of emotions in his chest settling down, and for a second he actually appeared more vulnerable than she'd ever seen him before. Leaning up to press her forehead against his, she briefly pecked his lips.

"I love you." she whispered with a soft sigh. "God, I love you so much..."

"I do appreciate your honesty, love... but really, you can call me Loki." he retorted on a somewhat humorous tone.

His words had the effect he was hoping for and his ears completely relished in the sound of her laughter; oh, it felt so good to finally hear that joyful shade in her tone again.

"You incorrigible jester..."

"You're the one who wanted the God of Mischief, dearest." he teased, hooking his finger in her suit again.

"Stop it." she said widening her eyes and tightening her hold on his hand, although she couldn't fully erase the smile on her lips.

"Mm... I missed that wonderful shade of red in your cheeks."

His devious smile grew when his taunt only made her blush even deeper. Finally, it seemed, she was starting to recover and once more become the Kara he had always known and loved. That last thought, however, made him blink in surprise. Love...? Had she _actually_ managed to instill that sentiment in him without him even noticing it?

"What's wrong?"

Her concerned tone and that worried expression on her face snapped him out of his contemplation, and he shook his head with a smile while retrieving his hand from hers and zipping her suit back up.

"Nothing, dearest..."

When she looked from his hand back to his face in confusion at his unexpected gesture, he exhaled an amused huff and brushed the back of his slender fingers over her cheek.

"Oh, I wouldn't mind if it happened here, love... but your body is for my eyes alone."

OoOoO

"Surprise!"

The sound of a male voice behind her chair, as well as the sight of a fiery red rose dangling upside down in front of her eyes, had Kara lean back and glance over her shoulder to sight Tony standing next to her. For a moment she merely frowned at him, but when he gave her that disarming, pleading gaze she sighed and closed the file she had been studying regarding Selvig's work with the Tesseract.

"What for?" she asked.

"Because I was a fucking asshole..." he replied, extending his arm to offer her the flower.

Despite accepting the rose, she offered him a pointed gaze even while trying to hold back a smile.

"You're still a jerk."

It was the humorous tone in her voice that ultimately made him smile while he grasped her hand and kissed the back of her fingers, winking at her.

"That's why women love me."

"I feel so sorry for Pepper, right now." she retorted sarcastically.

The way he wrinkled his nose at her finally made her crack a smile, although her humor was short lived when Tony now crossed his arms and leaned against the table.

"Look, I may have been an asshole about it, but I didn't say that _just_ to be an asshole."

"I know how this looks to all of you... that it's like I'm letting my feelings cloud my mind. And frankly... that's a high possibility. I don't expect any of you to understand, because you're not in the same situation. If it had been Pepper and you were in my shoes, then you would understand just how hard it is to keep a clear head."

"Kara..."

"The bottom line, Tony, is that I know him better than you or Nick or Steve or anyone else. I think it's pretty safe to say that I know him even a bit better than Thor does. No matter how much he desires to rule, he wouldn't do this without someone forcing him into it."

"Why not?"

"Because he knows Earth is _my_ home... yeah, he doesn't care at all about any other human alive, I know that. But he still wouldn't try to rule them, because of me... because he knows that would hurt me."

"And you're positive he would never do anything to hurt you." Tony retorted skeptically.

"You're something else, you know that?" she replied with a slightly astounded smile. "You're trying to find a scientific explanation for feelings... I just know. That's not something you can put into words. You should be familiar with the fact that when you love someone, you trust them no matter what. I expected Steve or Nick to not understand that... but you?"

The following moments passed in silence while the male merely watched her pointedly.

"So what are you going to do?" he finally asked.

"I don't know... he's a prisoner for now, so all I can do is wait and see what happens. One thing I can already tell you, though. He won't say where the Tesseract is... no matter what kind of mind games you try to play with him. In fact, he will likely use those games against you in a very brutal way."

"I'm curious... just what is he?"

"Well our ancestors called him a god... as they called Thor and the rest of his family. They believed he ruled over mischief, lies and chaos; he wasn't exactly the friendliest of those they worshiped. His worshipers were often merchants or what people later called _scholars_, because they valued his intelligence and cunning nature."

"And you're sure he's not just manipulating you?"

His unflinching skepticism ultimately drew a brief chuckle from the young woman.

"Yes... you see, that's what first caught his attention about me. That he can't hide anything because I'll just invade his mind and find out anyway."

Well, that wasn't entirely true given that Loki could easily overpower her in a telepathic battle, but she really just wanted to end that conversation before Tony got the idea to ask any really uncomfortable questions.

_'Mm... I like your renewed boldness, dearest.'_

Barely holding back from jolting in surprise when Loki's amused voice resounded in her mind, Kara instead clenched her jaw.

_'Who invited you in here?'_

His velvety chuckle was all she could hear before he went utterly silent, leaving her to wonder if he'd really gotten out of her head or not.

* * *

Sooo today's replies for my darlings :D

1. **SuperNaturalxxFreak** - You don't know how happy it makes me to know that you enjoy reading the chapters a second time as much as you did when you read them the first time. And I'm so glad to hear that the scenes are indeed making you go through the various moods they're meant for. If they didn't, I would consider that I failed my purpose in writing this whole thing.

As for helping me, not to worry, we have a lot of fun work ahead of us, not just for this story ;) I'm looking forward to working with you on other stories as well, darling :D

2. **EverlastingMuse** - Aww don't worry darling. As I said, Steve's too nice to stay upset with her for long. He'll probably get over it at some point ;)

But I'm glad to hear you're conflicted, because that means I did something well with the Kara/Loki pairing. I'm hoping you enjoyed this chapter as well and I'm looking forward to hearing from you again :D

3. **Callie Cat** - I am so happy to hear that my story made you fond of Loki, that's actually one of the reasons I even started writing it, to hopefully convey his personality in a way that would make people dislike him less.

On a side note, I actually do cry whenever I write a tear jerking scene and I smile or grin constantly when I have to write a happy scene. If you as the writer don't go through the emotions you're trying to convey to your readers, then you're not doing something right and you need to redo that scene. So believe me when I say that all the scenes that made you tear up, or gave you that knot in your throat, that urge to cry, were written while I was tearing up and barely even able to see the screen before my eyes xD

And of course you can share it on tumblr, I'd actually be honored. I have a tumblr myself, but I haven't yet put up anything on it, it's mostly just so I can follow a few blogs that I love there. My main "base of operations" is here or on Twitter where I'm stalking Tom ;)

But yes, I am terribly honored that you would want to share a link to the story there, darling, so go right ahead. I hope you enjoyed this chapter too and I can't wait to hear from you again :)

4. **MomentsInSilence** - Haha my feelings exactly, darling. I hope I didn't make Tony come across as _too much_ of an asshole and that his fans don't hate my guts now. But such are the risks...

Thank you for the short but utterly expressive review, darling. I'm looking forward to hearing from you again :D

So these are my replies for today. Cheers, lovelies~ ( ˘ ³˘)❤


	22. Entry 21

Sooo darlings we're getting close to the battle of New York. Hope you're all looking forward to that because I have a huuuuge surprise waiting for you at the end ;)

But I won't keep you with any more ranting; just toss me a review and I'll rant with you as much as you want :D

Now enjoy, lovelies~

P.S. Every _Thor/The Avengers/Thor: The Dark World_ character belongs to the wonderful Marvel. I own nothing, except my OCs :)

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**Entry #21**

_His velvety chuckle was all she could hear before he went utterly silent, leaving her to wonder if he'd really gotten out of her head or not._

oOo

_**Location: **__S.H.I.E.L.D. Helicarrier_

_**Date: **__May 20, 2012_

"_Kara, level 3 research lab. Now."_

Startled by Fury's voice suddenly ringing out in her earpiece, the young woman blinked in some confusion as she rushed out of her room and towards the laboratory. Upon arriving there, she was taken aback by the sheer thickness of the tension in that room.

"Uh... what's going on here?"

Ignoring her, Fury continued to stare down the two scientists.

"You're supposed to be locating the Tesseract."

"We are." Bruce replied. "The model's locked and we're sweeping for the signature now. When we get a hit, we'll have the location within half a mile."

"Yeah, then you get your Cube back." Tony retorted. "No muss... no fuss... what is _Phase 2_?"

Before Fury could reply, Kara's gaze – just as everyone else's – was drawn to the source of an odd metallic sound which turned out to be Steve slamming a weapon onto one of the lab tables.

"_Phase 2_ is S.H.I.E.L.D. uses the Cube to make weapons." he said dryly. "Sorry, computer was moving a little slow for me."

Tightening his lips when Kara and Thor – who had just entered along with Natasha – stared in shock at him, Fury then sighed lightly.

"Rogers, we gathered everything related to the Tesseract, this does not mean..."

"I'm sorry, Nick." Tony interrupted him, pointing to a panel on which a missile blueprint had been uploaded. "What were you lying?"

"I was wrong, Director... the world hasn't changed a bit." Steve now said with an utterly disappointed tone in his voice.

"Did you know about this?" Bruce asked, looking over to Natasha.

"You wanna think about removing yourself from this environment, Doctor?"

"Oh, I was in Calcutta. I was pretty well removed."

"Loki is manipulating you."

"And you've been doing what, exactly?"

"You didn't come here because I bat my eyelashes at you."

"Yes and I'm not leaving because suddenly you get a little twitchy. I'd like to know why S.H.I.E.L.D. is using the Tesseract to build weapons of mass destruction."

With silence lingering in between them, Fury suddenly extended his arm, pointing to Thor.

"Because of him."

"Me?" the Æsir asked, entirely caught off guard by that accusation.

"Last year Earth had a visitor from another planet, who had a grudge match that leveled a small town. We learned that not only are we not alone... we are hopelessly, hilariously outgunned."

"My people want nothing but peace with your planet." Thor stated.

"But you're not the only people out there, are you? And you're not the only threat! The world's filling up with people who can't be matched... who can't be controlled."

"Like you controlled the Cube?" Steve frowned.

"Your work with the Tesseract is what drew Loki to it... and his allies." Thor replied. "It is a signal to all the realms that the Earth is ready for a higher form of war."

"We had to come up with something..." Fury stated.

"A nuclear deterrent... because that always calms things right down." Tony retorted sarcastically.

"Remind me again how you made your fortune, Stark..."

Over the following few minutes Kara watched in utter shock as the very people who were supposed to protect their world regressed to the state of spoiled brats, bickering over a toy.

_'Look at them... pathetic...'_

Although she did not reply to Loki's disgusted retort, she couldn't help but agree; regardless, she had to somehow stop them before she gave in to her annoyance and started throwing things at them. Raising her hands she conjured a small round shield which she filled with air. Taking in a deep breath she now clapped her hands, causing the small bubble to burst with a sound similar to a dozen balloons being popped at the same time.

"Can we please grow up?" she said, when everyone turned to stare at her. "You're the best this world has to offer... act your damn age!"

"You speak of control, yet you court chaos." Thor now said, looking to Fury.

"That's his M.O. isn't it?" Bruce asked. "I mean, what are we? A team? No, no... we're a chemical mixture that makes chaos, we're... we're a time bomb."

"You need to step away." Fury replied, shooting a concerned glance to the scientist.

"Why shouldn't the guy let off a little steam?" Tony asked, casually setting his hand onto Steve's shoulder only to have the soldier smack it away.

"You know damn well why, back off!"

"I'm starting to want you to make me."

Smiling lightly, Steve now moved to circle him.

"Yeah... big man in a suit of armor." he retorted sarcastically. "Take that off, what are you?"

"Genius, billionaire, playboy, philanthropist..." came Tony's jab.

"I know guys with none of that worth ten of you. I've seen the footage... the only thing you really fight for is yourself. You're not the guy to make the sacrifice play; to lay down on a wire and let the other guy crawl over you."

"I think I would just cut the wire."

When Steve again smiled, Fury clenched his jaw in anticipation; by now he fully expected the soldier to punch Stark again.

"Always a way out." Steve retorted. "You know, you may not be a threat but you'd better stop pretending to be a hero."

"A hero? Like you? You're a laboratory experiment, Rogers. Everything special about you came out of a bottle."

"Tony!"

Kara's shocked voice and expression made the scientist blink in confusion; what the hell was wrong with his mind? It felt all muddy and blurry as if he'd been drugged. When he again looked to her, the young woman averted her gaze, apparently still astounded by that thoroughly heartless reaction from him... in all honesty even he was somewhat awed that he'd gone _that_ far. His focus, however, was soon drawn back to the soldier who now offered him a smug smirk.

"Put on the suit, let's go a few rounds."

This time it was the sound of Thor's chuckle that ultimately snapped Steve out of that weird state as well.

"You people are so petty... and tiny..." the Æsir retorted amusedly.

"Agent Romanoff, would you please escort Doctor Banner back to his..." Fury said, looking to the young woman only to have Bruce cut him off.

"Where? You rented my room."

"The cell was just in..."

"In case you needed to kill me. But you can't. I know, I tried."

His words left everyone speechless while the young scientist crossed his arms.

"I got low... I didn't see an end, so I put a bullet in my mouth and the other guy spit it out. So I moved on; I focused on helping other people, I was good. Until you dragged me back into this freak show and put everyone here at risk."

The tension, which rose a whole new level when Banner grabbed onto Loki's scepter while Kara could practically see the anger growing in his eyes, was suddenly pierced by the sound of a sharp beeping noise coming from the machine which had been searching for the Tesseract.

"Sorry, kids. You don't get to see my party trick after all." Bruce said after setting down the scepter.

"You located the Tesseract?" Thor asked.

"I could get there fastest." Tony replied.

"The Tesseract belongs on Asgard; no human is a match for it." the Æsir stated dryly.

Ignoring him Tony tried to leave the lab in order to retrieve his suit, only to have Steve grab onto his arm.

"You're not going alone."

"You're gonna stop me?" he asked, smacking away the soldier's hand.

"Put on the suit, let's find out."

"I'm not afraid to hit an old man."

"Put on the suit!" Steve now growled through clenched teeth.

It was when Kara attempted to cross the room and come in between them that the floor was practically evaporated by what looked like an explosion. Fortunately for her, Thor's reflexes were quick enough to let him drag her back and shield her with his body from the flames and debris.

"What the..." she muttered, trying to breathe under his weight.

Moving off her the Thunder God now grasped her arms and pulled her to her feet.

"Are you hurt?"

"No, I'm fine..."

Rushing to Fury's side whilst the male sat up trying to regain his bearings, she quickly checked him over for any injuries.

"Hill!" he called.

_"External detonation..."_ came the female's response into his earpiece while Tony and Steve rushed out of the room so that the scientist could retrieve his armor. _"Number 3 engine is down. Someone's got to get outside and patch that engine."_

"Stark, you copy that?"

_"I'm on it."_

"Coulson, initiate defensive lockdown in the detention section, then get to the armory."

"I'll take detention, Phil." Kara said into her own earpiece.

"No." Fury retorted, grabbing her arm after he had finally gotten to his feet.

When she merely shot him a pointed glance he opened his mouth to speak only to have the young woman smack his hand away and break into a run along the corridor.

"Kara!" he called out in her wake.

For a moment he was torn in two; he wanted to go after her because by now it was pretty clear that someone was trying to break Loki out, but at the same time he needed to go to the bridge and make sure the Helicarrier was steered over water, in case one of the other engines failed.

_"I'll be fine."_

Her voice ringing out into his earpiece had him grit his teeth in anger.

"Damn it!" he spat out, before rushing in the opposite direction, heading toward the bridge.

A few minutes later Kara was starting to lose her patience; with the detonation, the entire Helicarrier seemed to have gone into frenzy, and she could swear that she had never had any idea there were _that_ many people aboard.

_"We've got a perimeter breach!"_ she suddenly heard into her earpiece. _"Hostiles are in S.H.I.E.L.D. gear."_

Finally she made it to the detention section and for a moment she could only stare at Loki as he watched her from inside the cage, with an utterly satisfied smile on his face. It was then that her blood went cold and her eyes widened when she heard the Hulk's roar echoing in the rounded chamber.

_"We have the Hulk and Thor on Research Level 4. Levels 2 and 3 are dark."_

With those words resounding into her earpiece she felt her heart skipping a beat; the detention section was just below Level 4. Exhaling a shaky breath she rushed to the console to initiate the lockdown.

"What are you doing, dearest?"

Ignoring his amused tone, the young woman now activated the console.

"Trying to keep you alive; you do not want that thing anywhere near you, trust me."

Her attention was soon drawn to the spiraling staircase where she sighted two males ascending the steps. At first she thought they were guards, given their familiar attire, until one of them pointed a shotgun at her and fired, narrowly missing her. With her reflexes kicking into gear she set one knee onto the floor while retrieving her pistol. Aiming through the rails she fired, her bullet burrowing into her attacker's head and knocking him back down the stairs. When the second one tried to get a good aim on her, she angled her arm and fired again, hitting him in the chest.

"You are _not_ getting out of here." she said through clenched teeth, looking up at Loki.

"Mm... you're just as vicious as I remember, dearest." he retorted seductively.

Glaring at him when her cheeks reddened at that tone which sent a pleasant shiver along her spine, she moved to her feet and turned to the console again, only to find that the program wasn't responding.

"Nick, we have a little problem here."

_"Worse than our second engine going down?"_

"What?!"

_"We're gonna make it. What's the problem?"_

"Whatever happened to knock that second engine out, took out the lockdown program. I can't isolate the detention section."

When silence followed her words, the young woman briefly wondered if their communication system had also been taken out.

"Nick? Nick!"

_"Crap..."_ he finally replied. _"You get out of there. That is an order!"_

"You know I'm terrible at following orders." she retorted, checking to see if she still had the extra bullets in her pouch.

_"Damn it, Kara! Get out of there!"_

Turning off her earpiece, she took a deep breath and once more turned to face Loki, while pressing her back against the wall to avoid any surprise attacks.

"So... just you and me for now." she smiled.

His reaction was to playfully narrow his eyes at her, while his lips twitched into a mischievous smile.

"Are you sure you would not rather be in here with me, than out there alone?"

"I'm pretty sure I want to stay away from those naughty hands of yours." she retorted in jest.

"Wooh... dearest, that hurts."

"Would you enjoy having your _rescue team_ arrive here to bust you out, only to find us... well... you know..." she now said with a taunting wink.

His amused huff was soon followed by the sight of his pearly white teeth as he grinned at her.

"I'll make you eat those words, I promise."

"Then I can't wait to see you make good on that promise."

For a moment she recalled that night in London and it actually astounded her to realize how much she had been through since then... it almost felt as if that night had happened centuries before. Her contemplation was cut short when she heard several footsteps approaching along the same corridor she had used to get there.

"Show time..." she smirked.

Extending her arm outwards she pointed the gun down the hallway and fired; a painful shout which soon turned to a gurgling noise informed her that she had not missed her target. What she had failed to foresee, however, was that Loki had already warned them that she was likely to be there with him; and while he had given specific orders that she was not to be killed, he had allowed them to disable her.

When her other targets failed to riposte with shots of their own, she cautiously leaned forward to glance along the hallway, thinking that maybe she'd managed to scare them off and wouldn't have to kill any more of them. In doing so, she failed to see the lone mercenary approaching from a side corridor. It was only when he was just a couple of steps behind her that she finally heard his boots against the floor; turning around she caught only a fleeting glimpse of his masked face before the male raised his hand and smashed the butt of his weapon against the side of her head, the outburst of pain actually making her black out.

With the soldier activating the console again and opening the cage, Loki finally moved out of his cell and approached the young woman, picking her up and setting her against the wall.

"I know you'll be angry with me, dearest..." he whispered, kissing her forehead.

For now, however, he had rather urgent matters to tend to; like his idiot brother who was bound to try and stop him from getting away. Indeed, no more than a few minutes later Thor finally arrived at the detention level, being greeted with the sight of the cage door opening and Loki stepping outside.

"No!"

With that bellow he lunged forward intending to capture the younger Æsir, only to fly right through Loki's body, landing in the middle of the cage while the door closed behind him. Standing, he now sighted Loki outside the cage, watching him with an utterly disappointed gaze.

"Are you ever _not_ going to fall for that?"

When the blond god sighted Kara and widened his eyes, Loki merely sighed lightly.

"She's fine... you don't actually believe I would harm her, do you?"

"That's just it... I don't know anymore."

"I was under the impression that you knew me better than that, brother. I would see all the realms burning before doing anything to hurt her."

When Thor suddenly raised his arm and smashed the hammer against the glass door, Loki briefly arched his brows watching as the large claws holding the case moved away from their sockets.

"The humans think us immortal..." he said with a devious grin, walking to the console. "Shall we test that?"

Before he could activate the panel, however, Coulson arrived from a side hallway, knocking out the mercenary while pointing what looked like an oversized rifle at Loki.

"Move away, please." he said, watching as the dark haired Æsir cautiously stepped away from the console. "You like this? We started working on the prototype after you sent the Destroyer. Even I don't know what it does. You want to find out?"

It was when he pressed the activation button and the weapon began charging, that the Loki before him flickered and faded to nothingness, at the same moment when the real one stepped behind Coulson and drove the sharp tip of the scepter through his back until the weapon protruded through his chest. With the agent falling to the floor, Loki again stepped over to the console, activating it and opening the floor beneath the cage; looking straight into Thor's eyes without any shred of remorse, he now pushed the button to release the steel case.

Once the floor had closed back up, he turned around with the intention of retrieving Kara and finally leaving that dying metal beast, when his stride was abruptly halted by Coulson's voice.

"You're going to lose."

"Am I?" he asked, turning to face the dying agent.

"It's in your nature."

"Your heroes are scattered... your floating fortress falls from the sky... where is my disadvantage?"

"You lack conviction."

When Loki went to retort, the weapon Coulson still had on his lap finally charged and fired, in a similar way to the Destroyer itself, lunging Loki backwards through the nearest wall.

"So that's what it does..."

* * *

Sooo today's replies for my darlings :D

1. **SuperNaturalxxFreak** - Shush darling, careful... you don't want to reveal anything of what happens in future chapters, do you? ;)

But I'm so happy you enjoyed reading it a second time and that it STILL made you go through all those emotions. And I'm really glad I managed to convey a spark of humor, because yes it was needed in all these tense and serious chapters. Especially with the battle of New York drawing near.

And yes, we'll definitely be working together on more stories. I'm so looking forward to that, love :D

2. **Callie Cat** - Haha well Tom is hard to not like or love, because unlike most other celebrities he seems to really put himself in the shoes of his fans and it seems to me that he treats them the way he would want to be treated if he was in their place. So it's basically impossible to not like the guy, he's really great.

Now for the background with Loki and Thanos... I was contemplating delving deeper into it than I already did, but I thought it would distract from the actual story. After all this is a story about Loki AND Kara, not just about Loki. Plus, I haven't read any of the comics so I'm not 100% versed in the Marvel lore surrounding Thanos and Chthon. And rather than messing it up and having fans hate me for it, I decided to just play it safe and leave it at that.

And I'm really happy and really flattered that my writing makes your day. I don't consider myself more than an amateur but it's still really nice to see that my readers enjoy my work. So thank you for another heartwarming review, darling, I hope you enjoyed this chapter as well :D

3. **EverlastingMuse** - Aww thank you darling, I'm really glad you enjoyed it. Hope you enjoyed this one too; I'm looking forward to hearing from you again :)

4. **MomentsInSilence** - Haha well I can only hope the Tony fans won't hate me. Even if I know I can't please everyone I still end up trying to do that, mostly because I'm a perfectionist by nature. Which is what really makes writing for me seem like the greatest joy and the greatest torture at the same time. But I guess I'm just weird like that.

I'm so glad you liked the cage scene. That's one of my personal favorites out of the entire movie, so I just HAD to add it into my story somehow. And well... Loki might be under the Tesseract's influence and he might be a stubborn jerk, but he still is the God of Mischief. And you just KNOW there's mischief coming when you have him locked up in a cage with the woman he desires the most ;)

But thank you so much for this lovely review. I hope you enjoyed this chapter as well and I'm looking forward to hearing from you again :D

5. **smkyle** - Aww I'm so happy that you like the story so far, darling. I really hope it will keep meeting your expectations from here on as well. And I'm really glad you like Kara. I tried my best to not turn her into a Mary Sue, despite what she has to be, so I'm always a bit iffy about her. But I'm really happy to hear you like her so far.

Thank you so much for your lovely review and I'm looking forward to hearing from you again :D

So these are my replies for today. Cheers, lovelies~ ( ˘ ³˘)❤


	23. Entry 22

So, my lovelies, we've come to the big moment in _The Avengers_... sort of...

This chapter marks the start of the battle of New York and I do hope you'll enjoy it. So toss me a candy/review and let me know what you think :D

Now enjoy, darlings~

P.S. Every _Thor/The Avengers/Thor: The Dark World_ character belongs to the wonderful Marvel. I own nothing, except my OCs :)

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**Entry #22**

_"You lack conviction."_

oOo

_**Location: **__S.H.I.E.L.D. Helicarrier / Manhattan, New York, U.S.A._

_**Date: **__May 20, 2012_

"_Kara... Kara..._ Kara!"

With her eyes snapping wide open, the young woman was met with the sight of Fury's concerned gaze as he leaned over her. While she was still trying to regain her bearings, the male exhaled a relieved breath before sorrow took over his features.

"Agent Coulson is down." he finally said.

His words hit her like a cold shower and instantly kicked her mind into full gear despite the splitting migraine that made her feel as if she could lean forward and throw up at any moment.

_"A medical team is on its way to your location."_

"They're here... they called it."

Still too dizzy to stand, Kara now scrambled away from the Director, crawling across the floor until she got to Phil's side just as the medic was standing to take note of his time of death. Reaching out with a trembling hand whilst his face became blurred from her tears, she felt her body moving on its own until her face was pressed against his shirt, her muffled sobs echoing dimly in the detention chamber.

She couldn't tell how long she stayed like that, holding his breathless form, but she recalled that she was still crying when Fury finally grasped her arms in a gentle but firm hold and pulled her away so the medics could retrieve the fallen agent's body.

"I'm sorry..." the Director said sorrowfully, stroking her hair.

He couldn't even imagine how hard it must have been for her, and he didn't want to add any more weight on her shoulders; but ultimately he would have to tell her that Loki was the one who had killed Coulson.

OoOoO

Utter silence reigned on the main bridge three hours later; Fury had finally told Kara that Coulson's death had come at Loki's hands and, as he had expected it, the woman had been utterly shocked. But despite that she had refused to be relieved of the mission, for a reason that Fury still couldn't comprehend. How... just how in the world could she love someone like Loki? How could she see anything better in him than a monster? Even as he stood on the steel floor, he kept thinking along those lines.

With Natasha in Clint's room – after she had managed to somehow knock him out in the earlier madness – Tony, Steve and Kara were seated around the large table, each of them seemingly lost in their own thoughts while Fury stood nearby, fiddling with the bloodstained Captain America Trading Cards that Coulson had been collecting.

"These were in Phil Coulson's jacket..." he suddenly said. "I guess he never did get you to sign them."

Casting the small pile forward, he watched as the cards spread before Steve on the glass surface, the soldier sorrowfully picking one of them up to look at it.

"We're dead in the air up here." Fury continued. "Our communications, the location of the Cube... Banner... Thor... I got nothing for you. Lost my one good eye."

Silence again reigned between them until the Director huffed in bitter sarcasm.

"You know, I had that coming. Yes, we were going to build an arsenal with the Tesseract. I never put all my chips on that number, thought, because I was playing something even riskier. There was an idea... and Stark knows this... called the_ Avengers Initiative_. The idea was to bring together a group of remarkable people to see if they could become something more. To see if they could work together when we needed them to... to fight the battles that we never could. Phil Coulson died still believing in that idea... in heroes."

At his words Tony ultimately gave in to his anger and stood, storming out of the room.

"Well... it's an old fashioned notion..." Fury said in his wake.

It wasn't until half an hour later that Kara found him and Steve in the detention section.

"Was he married?" the soldier asked, only afterwards noticing the young woman nearby.

"No..." Tony replied. "There was a... cellist... I think."

Exchanging a concerned glance with Kara, he once more gazed upwards where the scientist was standing.

"I'm sorry. He seemed like a good man."

"He was an idiot."

"Why? For believing?"

"For taking on Loki alone."

"He was doing his job."

"He was out of his league... he should've waited! He should have..."

"Sometimes there isn't a way out, Tony."

"Right, I've heard that before."

When he walked past Steve in an attempt to leave, he was met with Kara's pointed gaze that ultimately persuaded him to reconsider.

"Is this the first time you lost a soldier?" Steve asked.

"We are _not_ soldiers!" Tony spat out in anger, whirling around to face him. "I'm not marching to Fury's fife."

"Neither am I... he's got the same blood on his hands that Loki does. But right now we have to put that behind us and get this done. Now Loki needs a power source... if we can put together a list..."

Contemplating for a moment, Tony suddenly perked up.

"He made it personal."

"That's not the point."

"That _is_ the point... that's Loki's point! He hit us all right where we live. Why?"

"To tear us apart..."

"Yeah, divide and conquer is... great, but he knows he has to take us out to win, right? That's what he wants! He wants to beat us, he wants to be seen doing it... he wants an audience."

"Right. I caught his act in Stuttgart..."

"Yeah, that was just previews, this is opening night. And Loki... he's a full-tilt diva, right? He wants flowers, he wants parades... he wants a monument built to the skies with his name plastered..."

His voice suddenly died out when realization hit him as to where Loki was going.

"Son of a bitch..." he spat out.

When he rushed out of the room, Kara and Steve followed suite.

"So where is he going?" she asked.

With Tony coming to a sudden halt and whirling to face her, she jolted in surprise when he pointed a finger at her.

"Suit up, Wonder Woman... we're going flying."

When she blinked in awe at him, he now clapped his hands.

"Come on, step to it! We don't have all day!"

With that he once more turned on his heels and rushed off to retrieve his armor which had been damaged during his attempt to save the Helicarrier from crashing; hopefully he could get it working again soon enough.

"I'll go get Natasha." Steve stated, rushing off along another corridor.

"Men..." she muttered with an annoyed huff, before breaking into a run, heading to her room to reload her pistol and retrieve a few more weapons.

OoOoO

_"Sir, I've turned off the arc-reactor. But the device is already self-sustaining."_

Jarvis' voice coming from Tony's radio now drew Kara's attention to Stark Tower, where she and Tony were currently heading. Erik was already on the roof and had just turned on the device to power up the Tesseract.

"Shut it down, Doctor Selvig." the scientist demanded.

"It's too late, she can't stop now. She wants to show us something! A new universe..."

His crazed smile actually gave Kara the chills.

"Okay..." Tony retorted before aiming his hands at the device and trying to blast it.

What followed was the sight of the Tesseract creating a barrier around itself, the energy deflecting Tony's shots back at him and narrowly missing Kara, while knocking Erik himself back against the edge.

_"The barrier is pure energy... it's unbreachable."_ Jarvis commented.

"Yeah, I got that." Tony replied, glancing down to the main terrace where Loki was watching them. "Plan B..."

_"Sir, the Mark 7 is not ready for deployment."_

"Then skip the spinning rims, we're on the clock."

Turning to Kara he now pointed to Selvig.

"See if you can get him to snap out of it..." he asked. "I'll have a little chat with tall, dark and handsome down there."

"Tony, don't..." she said with a concerned gaze that actually unsettled him.

"I'll be fine, we'll just talk." he insisted.

Ultimately their staring contest came to an end when Kara heaved a sigh.

"Just be careful... don't piss him off." she warned before moving to land on the roof.

Lowering himself onto the terrace to discard his battered suit, Tony once again glanced to the Æsir.

"Where would be the fun in that?" he muttered in reply to the young woman's words.

"Please tell me you're going to appeal to my humanity." Loki smiled upon entering the living room.

"Uh actually, I'm planning to threaten you."

"You should have left your armor on for that."

"Yeah. It's seen a bit of mileage... and you've got the glow stick of destiny. Would you like a drink?"

With an amused huff, Loki finally halted in his stride; oh, he would take such delight in dealing with that insignificant speck of dust. But for now, he would humor the male.

"Stalling me won't change anything."

"No, no, no... threatening. No drink? You sure? I'm having one."

"The Chitauri are coming and nothing will change that. What have I to fear?"

"The Avengers."

When Loki narrowed his eyes in confusion, Tony ultimately shrugged lightly; saying it like that, it did sound rather stupid as a team name.

"It's what we call ourselves... we're sort of like a team. _Earth's mightiest heroes_ kind of thing..."

"Oh yes... I've met them."

"Yeah." Tony smiled back. "It takes us a while to get any traction I'll give you that one. But let's do a head count here: your brother, the demigod... a super soldier, a living legend who kind of lives up to the legend... a man with breathtaking anger management issues... a couple of master assassins... and, of course, Wonder Woman up on the roof who could probably blow up someone's brain just by wishing it. And you, big fella', you've managed to piss off every single one of them."

"That was the plan." Loki winked.

"Not a great plan. When they come... and they will... they'll come for you."

"I have an army."

"We have a Hulk."

"I thought the beast had wandered off." the Æsir retorted tauntingly.

What the scientist failed to notice was the predatory glint in Loki's eyes, as the dark haired god watched him approach like an unsuspecting lamb to the slaughter.

"Yeah, you're missing the point. There is no throne. There is no version of this where you come out on top. Maybe your army comes and maybe it's too much for us, but it's all on you. Because if we can't protect the Earth, you can be damn well sure we'll avenge it."

It was at those words that Loki's patience finally grew thin enough to make him approach Tony, the gleam in his eyes taking a murderous turn.

"How will your friends have time for me, when they're so busy fighting you?" he growled.

However, when he placed the tip of his scepter to Tony's chest, the arc-reactor nullified the Tesseract's energy, ultimately sparing Tony from sharing Erik's fate.

"This usually works..." Loki contemplated.

"Well, performance issues, it's not uncommon..."

The scientist's sarcastic retort was cut short when the Æsir grabbed him by the neck with his bare hand, lifting him from the floor.

"You will all fall before me!" he threatened, throwing Tony across the room.

"Jarvis, anytime now..." he muttered, trying to scramble to his feet.

His efforts were cut short when he felt Loki's hand grabbing onto his shirt and he sighted the utterly vicious expression on the god's face.

"Do not think I am in any way merciful... if I humored you until now, it was simply because I found your attempts to threaten me amusing."

Pulling Tony to his feet, he again grabbed the young male by his neck and finally he sighted a glint of raw fear in the scientist's eyes.

"I was hoping I could get my hands on you." the Æsir now smiled deviously. "Kara may have forgiven your stupidity because she is far too kind... but I am in no mood to do the same."

Tony was actually taken aback when Loki dispersed the scepter, releasing him before he suddenly punched him in the face, causing the Stark male to slide back onto the floor.

"I heard her warning you to not taunt me. You should have listened."

By the time Tony had registered those growled words, a sharp pain erupted in his stomach and his lungs emptied of air when Loki kicked him without mercy, fortunately landing him onto the couch which now fell backwards from his weight. Barely managing to scramble back onto his feet, he again felt the Æsir's hand latching onto his throat. It was when he felt that he could barely draw any breath that Tony realized why Kara had warned him to not try and taunt Loki. The guy was insanely powerful and for a moment the scientist actually believed he was going to die right then and there. But then he felt his feet leaving the floor again and realized what Loki was planning.

"Deploy..." he said breathlessly. "Deploy!"

His last word came right before Loki threw him through the window into a free fall toward the sidewalk below. Fortunately Jarvis managed to actually deploy his suit in time to save his life.

"Oh, there's one other person you pissed off." he retorted, flying back to level with the broken window. "His name was Phil."

With that sarcastic statement, he pointed both hands at the Æsir and blasted him straight in the chest.

"Tony!"

Hearing Kara calling out to him, the male now raised his gaze upwards just in time to see the Tesseract energy shooting to the sky and opening a portal through which dozens of aliens poured into the city.

"Right... army..."

* * *

Sooo today's replies for my darlings :D

1. **SuperNaturalxxFreak** - Yes, I know exactly how you feel, honey. Coulson was an extremely endearing character and I have a feeling many fans didn't really forgive Loki for killing him, despite how much we actually love Loki himself.

As for Kara, yes it definitely isn't easy on her, but at the moment she has more important things to focus on than her own grief... like making sure Loki doesn't get killed in battle. So she's going to have her hands full for now, because we all know how much of a handful Loki can be ;)

But for now I hope you enjoyed re-reading this chapter. I know you've been looking forward to it because of that scene with Loki and Tony. And I hope everyone else enjoyed that scene as much as you and I did. And thank you so much for your lovely, lovely reviews :D

2. **Callie Cat** - Well I don't know yet if I'll try to delve into the background story with Loki and Thanos, mostly because for now I have some plans already set which I want to follow through. I need to finish this story and then work on the sequel and I have another story I'm planning to work on afterwards and possibly get it ready for upload on the website.

And I don't mind if you want to share your email with me, I always enjoy talking to other Marvel/Loki fans, but please honey don't leave it in a review where everyone can see it. It's a good thing that the website didn't display it. Trust me there are a lot of creeps even on this website, it's never a good thing to share personal information publicly. If you really want to share your email with me, please register an account here (it's free! :D) and send me a PM.

But thank you so much for the heartwarming compliments. I'm looking forward to hearing from you again, darling :)

3. **EverlastingMuse** - Thank you hun, I'm really glad you enjoyed it. Hope you enjoyed this chapter as well; I'm looking forward to hearing from you again :)

So these are my replies for today. Cheers, lovelies~ ( ˘ ³˘)❤


	24. Entry 23

So my lovelies, here's the first part of the battle for New York. There's a lot more good stuff to come, so enjoy and stay tuned for the next installment. And do toss me a little review to let me know how I'm doing ;)

P.S. Every _Thor/The Avengers/Thor: The Dark World_ character belongs to the wonderful Marvel. I own nothing, except my OCs :)

* * *

**Entry #23**

_"Right... army..."_

oOo

_**Location: **__Manhattan, New York, U.S.A._

_**Date: **__May 20, 2012_

While Tony rushed to attempt and kill as many of the aliens as he could before they actually reached the city below, Kara dragged the still unconscious Selvig to a more secluded part of the rooftop, hoping he wouldn't be killed. Reaching into her pouch she withdrew what looked like a pair of elbow-length gloves which she pulled on over her leather suit. Standing, she closed her fists to test the weapon, nodding in approval when the gloves each shot out a retractile pair of blades, similar to claws. Letting the steel weapons return to their sheaths she took to the air, aiming to go help Tony, only to have her attention deterred by the sight of Loki who had just emerged onto the terrace in full armor, and Thor who had apparently just arrived.

"Turn off the Tesseract, or I'll destroy it!" the blond Æsir shouted up at his brother.

"You can't." Loki retorted, pointing the spear at him. "There is no stopping it... there is only the war!"

"So be it..."

Even Kara was caught off guard when Loki made the first move, leaping down in an attempt to impale the spear right into Thor's head. Their little scuffle was interrupted when Natasha, Clint and Steve finally arrived in the Quinjet. However, their attempt at shooting Loki down was foiled when the dark haired Æsir smashed Thor's head against the glass railing of the terrace, discarding him to the floor before he shot a blast of energy straight into one of the aircraft's wings.

_"Kara... could use a little help here..."_ Natasha retorted, as she desperately tried to regain control of the falling Quinjet.

"I'm on it."

Shooting off after the falling aircraft, she caught sight of a deserted parking lot nearby and landed there to try and steer the machine away from any citizens.

"Okay... let's see how good you are at flying..." she muttered to herself, rubbing her hands together and taking a deep breath to clear her mind.

Extending both her arms toward the metallic monster now speeding toward her, she clenched her jaw and tensed her muscles which protested at the strain put on them by the jet's weight which she could fully feel as her mind translated its efforts into physical effects. Ultimately she managed to set the Quinjet down in one piece, leaning forward and placing her hands onto her knees as she heaved for breath.

"You okay?" Steve asked, having rushed over to her side after leaving the jet.

"Yeah... I just need a minute..."

"We have to get back up there." he said, looking to Natasha and Clint.

With Kara nodding that she was good to go, they all rushed back toward Stark Tower, only to be halted when a bloodcurdling roar echoed over the city. Her first thought was that Bruce had shown up, but then she felt Steve's hand grasping the back of her head and turning her gaze upwards to the portal from which an enormous creature now emerged, apparently a mixture between a robot and a living thing.

Utterly stunned the group watched as the Leviathan flew past them, Chitauri soldiers shooting off from both sides of its belly, assaulting several buildings at the same time. And for a moment they all felt completely overwhelmed by the situation... after all, how could a handful of people – no matter how extraordinary they were – stop an entire army?

"Stark, are you seeing this?" Steve finally asked.

_"See... still working on believing."_ came the scientist's reply. _"Where's Banner? Has he shown up yet?"_

"Banner?"

_"Just keep me posted."_

"I'm going ahead... see you there."

"Kara... wait!"

Ignoring Steve's call, the young woman took to the air and rushed toward the tower like a bullet, taking down as many bastards as tried to block her way. There had to be a way to put an end to this madness... and she was going to get it out of Loki, no matter what. Upon arriving at the terrace she sighted the two brothers still locked in combat, with Loki backed up against the wall and Thor seemingly having gone out of control as he repeatedly punched the younger Æsir.

"Thor!" she yelled, lunging forward and grabbing his arm. "You're killing him!"

Releasing him and stepping in between them, she frowned and pressed her back against Loki's chest while placing her hands against Thor's to keep them apart. When she heard Loki's amused huff behind her, she widened her eyes as the blond Æsir stepped forward, literally trapping her between them and grabbing Loki's shoulders.

"Look at this!" Thor bellowed. "Look around you! You think this madness will end with your rule?"

It was when she glanced over her shoulder that Kara now sighted the utterly shocked expression on Loki's face, his eyes once more reverting to their natural green shade and his chest heaving in a ragged breath, a tear trickling down his pale cheek.

"It's too late..." he replied. "It's too late to stop it..."

"No, we can." Thor smiled, hoping that his brother could still be swayed. "Together..."

For a moment Kara herself believed that Loki had swayed to their side, only to feel his body stiffening against her back; a metallic spark caught her eye and she glanced down to his hand only to see him driving a throwing knife into Thor's side. When the blond Æsir stepped back, she felt Loki's arm coiling around her waist and moving her out of the way.

"Sentiment..." he hissed sarcastically.

With Thor picking him up in anger and smashing him against the ground, Loki now rolled off the edge of the terrace, only to be picked up in midair by one of the alien hovercrafts. Sighing in annoyance, the young woman instead approached Thor as the Æsir withdrew the small blade from his body and discarded it onto the floor.

"Are you alright?"

"Yes..."

Picking up his hammer he took a moment to catch his breath, his attention again drawn to Kara when she heaved a sigh, her steely gaze set upon the portal.

"This might be too big for us." she muttered contemplatively. "There's no end to them..."

"No, Kara, you mustn't give up hope."

Reaching to her, he set a hand onto her shoulder and offered her a reassuring smile.

"We will be victorious."

Looking from him back to the portal, the young woman again sighed and nodded.

"Not like we have a choice..."

She was starting to wonder how many of them would be dead by the end of the day, and if she would be one of them. It wasn't really her idea of a _good death_, but dying in battle to protect the entire human race didn't exactly sound too bad.

Joining Thor and the others on the ground, she soon sighted Loki chasing Natasha who had taken over one of the hovercrafts, in her attempt to get to the roof and find a way to close the portal before they were all overwhelmed and killed. She had just taken to the air to try and gain Loki's attention and distract him from killing the female spy, when she sighted the Æsir catching an arrow shot from Clint's bow only to have it explode in his grasp and cast him back onto the terrace of Stark Tower.

When she attempted to follow him in order to try and keep him busy and away from the fight, hoping that the Chitauri would lose focus without a clear leader, she was stopped in midair by the sight of the Hulk lunging at Loki and disappearing along with him inside the living room. By the time she had leveled with the terrace, however, Banner was gone and she could see Loki lying on the broken floor beneath him.

She had just moved to go inside, when one of the hovercrafts spotted her and she heard that chilling trill as the Chitauri riding it aimed its rifle at her. She barely had the time to conjure a small shield in front of her, when the reptilian creature fired and she caught the blast head-on, the force throwing her into the living room through one of the glass panels. When the alien didn't follow her to finish the job she inwardly thanked all the gods she knew of, right before she blacked out.

OoOoO

She couldn't tell how much time had passed before she woke up; but she did recall the screams and that god awful alien trill, as well as the stench of smoke and blood in the air. Steve... Thor... Tony... why had no one come to get her? Was everyone dead? Were they still alive?

Her attempt at sitting up ended in a shocked, painful but short lived scream when a slicing pain erupted in her stomach. Turning her widened eyes downwards she sighted a chunk of glass sticking out of the left side of her belly and a small puddle of blood beneath her.

_"Kara where the heck are you?"_ Tony's voice suddenly rang into her ear piece. _"Could use a hand here..."_

"I'm a little... preoccupied at the moment..." she retorted, clenching her jaw.

_"You sound terrible. What happened?"_

"One piece of advice... _never_ build an entire wall out of glass."

_"You got a problem with glass? I thought you liked mirrors."_ he retorted humorously.

"Not when I have a chunk of it inside me."

A moment of silence followed, before Tony's serious voice rang in her ear.

_"Kara what the hell happened? Where are you?"_

"Just stay focused on the fight..." she groaned, rolling onto her side and somehow managing to get up on all fours.

_"Where. Are. You?"_ he growled.

"I'm fine... I've got help right here."

Turning off her earpiece, she took a deep breath to brace herself for the pain she knew would come when she moved.

_"Miss Taylor, there is a first aid kit behind the bar."_

Startled by Jarvis' voice, the young woman smiled lightly.

"Thanks, J... you're a lifesaver."

_"Shall I inform Mister Stark of your whereabouts?"_

"No, let him focus on helping the others. I'll get him to give me a hand."

Nodding toward Loki who seemed to still be in shock after his encounter with the Hulk, she finally moved to crawl across the room, until she reached his side.

"Loki..." she said, unable to fully withhold a concerned gaze. "Loki!"

When he failed to reply, she gave in to the annoying pain and raised a hand, smacking him as hard as she could.

"Snap out of it, damn you!" she yelled, although her loud tone was triggered more by the pain which had shot straight into the back of her head, nearly making her black out again.

When she heard him gasp, she turned her teary gaze to him, the sight of the fairly large piece of glass sticking out of her and blood seeping in between her fingers finally kicking Loki's mind back into gear.

"What happened?" he asked, shooting up and setting an arm around her shoulders when she collapsed against his chest.

"I did my damn job, that's what happened." she growled through clenched teeth. "Listen... I don't have time to go to a hospital. So congratulations, you're a doctor now. I need you to get this out of me, I can't do it myself."

For a moment she couldn't hear anything but the outside noises; and just when she was about to glare at him, she felt his arm coiling beneath her knees whilst with the other he cradled her back, and then the pain shot up into her head again as he moved to his feet pulling her up with him, making her clench her teeth while a short scream escaped her throat.

"God..." she muttered in anger, despite the tears trailing down her cheeks.

Trying not to groan when he laid her onto the couch after returning it to its original position with his foot, she now looked up to see the painful shade on his expression.

"Hey..." she said softly, grasping his hand. "It's not your fault... I refuse to believe that."

She caught a fleeting glimpse of his gaze reverting back to its original color before he closed his eyes and pressed his lips to the back of her hand. How? How could she still have that much faith in him when he felt himself succumbing more and more to the Tesseract's will? He had wanted to keep her safe and was now forced to face the fact that his own actions had landed her in this situation. What brought him out of that contemplation was Jarvis' robotic voice resounding in the room.

_"Miss Taylor, I have finished scanning you. That wound is too deep for a simple bandage. I suggest moving to the floor below you, where the medical section is; cauterization is highly recommended, to stop the bleeding."_

"After..." she breathed out painfully. "After he removes the glass... I couldn't survive being moved around again with that thing still in me."

Looking back to Loki when he released her hand and moved to unzip her suit, she clenched her jaw trying to mentally prepare herself for the pain she knew would come.

"Please say something..." she asked.

The sight of his mischievous smile caught her off guard, and she truly could not tell how in the world her cheeks still had enough blood to blush when he spoke, glancing to the strand of skin that her suit now revealed.

"You look ravishing, dearest."

"Thank you..." she retorted sarcastically.

Yet despite that she was truly grateful that he had chosen to say that, in order to lighten her mood.

"There's a first aid kit behind the bar... it should have some bandages inside." she now stated when she sighted the way his brows furrowed as he pulled back the leather to expose her bleeding wound and the shard which had sliced through the suit and her flesh.

Watching as he retrieved the small box and set it next to the couch, she took a deep breath and nodded when he glanced to her.

"This will hurt." he said, offering a hand to her.

"I'll survive... can't say the same about your hand." she retorted, latching her fingers around his.

Blinking in awe when he lowered their joint hands with a smile and she felt the side of his fist pressing lightly against her stomach, she briefly wondered what he was going to do; it was in that same instant that the Æsir grasped the glass shard and swiftly pulled it out, effortlessly holding her down to keep her body from jolting and possibly worsening her wound, whilst her painful scream echoed outside.

For a few moments she couldn't even breathe as she stared at the ceiling above her; her muscles were so tense that she thought they would tear away from her bones and her mind was utterly stunned by the excruciating pain it had just withstood. But finally her chest began to heave as her body battled for air, and the ache began to subside enough to let her mind regain its bearings. By the time she had fully gotten her awareness back, Loki had already released her hand and bandaged her wound.

"Hush, it's alright... I'm here." he whispered against her forehead, stroking her hair.

His other hand now settled onto her stomach, soothingly rubbing her tense muscles to get her body to relax. Ultimately, the warmth of his hand and the fatigue in her body overwhelmed the young woman and drove her into slumber despite her attempts to stay awake.

It was about two hours later that she was startled awake when an alien hovercraft exploded near the tower from one of Clint's arrows. Her gaze instantly moved from the ceiling to Loki who had settled onto one knee next to her; she could still feel his hand tangled in her hair and his thumb gingerly stroking her forehead, and despite the dull ache in her body she felt unable to hold back a smile.

This... this was the Loki she knew... the Loki she had always known.

Not the merciless murderer that everyone else saw him as... but the tender, loving man who had so filled her heart despite all the sorrow he had brought her along with that joy.

"Are you feeling better?" he asked softly.

Reaching up to brush her fingertips against his cheek, she nodded and sighed.

"Let's see how the others are doing, shall we?" she replied, turning on her earpiece.

_"...close it. Can anybody copy? I can shut the portal down."_

Her lips curved into a relieved smile at the sound of Natasha's voice; they were alive, she had no more doubt about that.

_"Do it!"_ Steve replied.

_"No, wait."_ Tony retorted.

_"Stark, these things are still coming."_

The scientist's reply made her eyes snap wide open, while a pathetically weak gasp left her lips.

_"I got a nuke coming in; it's gonna blow in less than a minute."_

* * *

Sooo today's replies for my darlings :D

1. **SuperNaturalxxFreak** - Yes, that's the scene I was referring to when I said I hope Tony fans won't hate me. Frankly, he deserved every bit of pain he got, but I was still a bit iffy about how Stark fans were going to react. I'm hoping they didn't mind it... I'm pretty certain Loki fans didn't mind it at all xD

Haha well I'm hoping you enjoyed re-reading this chapter since you've been looking forward to it so much. It's always a delight working and fangirling with you. You have no idea how much that helps me organize my mind, so thank you. You're a great help and a great friend, darling :D

2. **kmbrownie0103** - Aww I'm so glad to hear you got hooked so fast on it. Don't worry, I'm not planning to stop working on this story until it's done, I promise ;)

Thank you so much for the compliments and for the heartwarming review, honey. I'm looking forward to hearing from you again, even if you find something you dislike. I appreciate constructive criticism :)

3. **EverlastingMuse** - Thank you darling, I'm really glad you enjoyed it. Hope you enjoyed this chapter as well; I'm looking forward to hearing from you again :)

So these are my replies for today. Cheers, lovelies~ ( ˘ ³˘)❤


	25. Entry 24

Soooooo darlings, we've arrived at the climax of the battle for New York. I'm hoping you'll all enjoy the twist I added and that you won't hate me for switching the spotlight. You got no idea what I'm talking about? Well I won't spoil it so go read the chapter and then toss me a review to let me know how much you love it or hated it ;)

Enjoy lovelies~

P.S. Every _Thor/The Avengers/Thor: The Dark World_ character belongs to the wonderful Marvel. I own nothing, except my OCs :)

* * *

**Entry #24**

_"I got a nuke coming in; it's gonna blow in less than a minute."_

oOo

_**Location: **__Manhattan, New York, U.S.A._

_**Date: **__May 20, 2012_

In a sudden bout of anger at the utterly stupid decision Fury seemed to have made, Kara shot up onto the couch, gritting her teeth when pain again erupted in her body.

"Dearest, you can't go out there again."

Pushing his hands away when he tried to get her to lie back down, the young woman shot a thoroughly vicious gaze to the Æsir that actually had him lean back.

"Just watch me..." she growled painfully, baring her teeth at him.

Reaching to the zipper, she inhaled deeply before swiftly pulling it up and barely holding back a scream when the leather pressed tightly on her wound. While it would help to contain the bleeding, it seemed she would have to find a way to deal with the slicing pain that now wracked her whole body.

"Kara..."

Ignoring Loki's stern tone, she tried to move away only to fall onto the floor on her knees.

"Tony... where are you?"

_"About time you reported in, Wonder Woman."_ he retorted in an attempt to sound amused despite the concerned shade in his tone. _"I'm about to intercept the missile; I know just where to put it."_

_"Stark... you know that's a one-way trip, right?"_ Steve interrupted them.

_"Save the rest for the turn, J."_ Tony stated, apparently ignoring the soldier.

It was at those words that Kara again tried to get to her feet; when that failed she instead began crawling toward the terrace with a sort of wild spark in her eyes that not even Loki had seen before. She would be damned if she allowed Tony to kill himself and break Pepper's heart.

_"Miss Taylor, I strongly suggest allowing your body to recover."_ Jarvis' voice resounded in the room.

"If I don't help him... no one will..." she retorted.

The only other team member who could fly – namely the Thunder God – might have been a good man and he might have actually tried to help Tony, had he known; but he didn't know... he had no idea of the woman Tony would be leaving behind. She had been destroyed by the news of Loki's death... she wasn't going to see Pepper going through that hell... not if she had anything to say about it.

Her contemplation was abruptly halted when she felt Loki's hands clasping around her arms and pulling her to her feet while she groaned in pain.

"Look at me..."

When she failed to comply, he placed his hands to her cheeks and forced her to turn her face upwards.

"Look at me." he growled.

His words died in his throat for once, at the sight of the utterly determined shade in her eyes, despite the sorrow mixed in with it.

"I have to do this..."

"You don't _have_ to do anything." he frowned, his eyes finally betraying just how completely terrified he was at the thought of losing her.

When she went to reply, only to find that she couldn't speak because she had no idea what to say, her mind suddenly brought up a memory she had believed long since buried, and she heard Coulson's voice in her head as clear as day and saw that heartwarming smile he always offered her.

_"You're a good person, Kara... and good people can't stand aside while others need them.__"_

"I have to go..." she whispered.

"Why?"

Looking up into his eyes, the young woman ultimately leaned up to claim his lips for a kiss in which she now poured all the scorching love she felt for him. For once she actually hoped that he was reading her thoughts; she wanted him to know how grateful and happy she was for every moment they had spent together, regardless of what was happening around them. Her desire was soon confirmed when she felt his arms wrapping tightly around her.

"Because he needs my help..." she whispered shakily against his lips after he reluctantly allowed her to end the kiss.

Her attempt to lean back was briefly deterred when Loki tightened his hold on her and pressed his forehead to hers; and despite his closed eyes, his expression still betrayed such sorrow that Kara thought her heart would tear into pieces.

"Please... don't..." he said, catching her off guard with the genuinely begging tone in his voice.

With Coulson's words still ringing in her mind, the young woman clenched her jaw to hold back from breaking into a sobbing mess. Leaning up to kiss him again she then forcefully wrenched herself out of his embrace and – in a sudden bout of energy brought on by her sheer determination – broke out into a run, leaping off the edge of the terrace before Loki could stop her, leaving the Æsir to stare after her in shock. For a few moments she simply fell toward the ground whilst her mind battled to empty itself and focus away from the ache which threatened to overtake it.

It was right when Tony arrived at the tower, trying to steer the missile toward the portal, that she finally regained control over her mind – even as she stared death in the face – and took to following him.

"Let go!" she called out over the howling winds, placing her hands onto the nuke to gain control of it.

"What the hell are you doing?" Tony retorted, utterly shocked to see her there.

"Let! Go!" she ordered.

"You really think I'm letting you kill yours...?"

Baring her teeth at him, the young woman took a deep breath before extending her leg and kicking him in the mask, throwing him off the missile.

"What the hell? Kara!" he shouted, regaining his balance and moving to follow.

_"Don't... don't do this to Pepper, Tony..."_

Her words and the heart wrenchingly sorrowful tone in her voice actually had him stop in midair, staring in utter shock as she vanished through the portal along with the nuke.

_"Stark what the hell happened up there?"_

With Steve's voice snapping him back to reality, Tony exhaled a shaky breath as he felt his lips trembling just before his gaze grew blurry and tears overflowed along his cheeks.

"I... she just... she-she went... she..." he muttered, unable to put together a comprehensive phrase.

Before Steve could reply and demand an explanation, his gaze was again drawn to the sky along with Thor's; at first he believed the portal had somehow expanded on its own, revealing what seemed to be a massive alien ship from which hundreds of hovercrafts were still heading toward Earth, before he heard Kara's voice in his mind.

_'I wanted you all to see this... this is your victory.'_

"Ka-Kara...?" he muttered, his stomach suddenly dropping.

His fleeting hope that it was somehow just a dream or a side effect of the madness around them was thoroughly destroyed when he glanced to his right, to sight the stunned expression on Thor's face.

_"I know it's hard to believe right now... but everything's going to be alright."_

The sound of Phil's soothing voice in her head actually made her smile, even as she felt tears overflowing from her eyes. Her lungs were constricting from the lack of air to the point that her chest felt like she had a ton of lead pressing on it; her muscles were yelling in protest and she felt as if they were burning beneath her skin from the searing pain, as she struggled to maintain the missile on a direct course toward the ship. Focusing the last bits of her mental energy she again latched onto the other's minds.

_'I chose this.'_ she said softly, in an attempt to soothe them. _'I'm grateful that I met every one of you. Thank you...'_

Finally her consciousness wavered while her gaze darkened around the edges; when her muscles finally gave in and her arms fell limp, she only caught a fleeting glimpse of the nuke lunging forward and exploding right in the midst of the alien craft. And before she abandoned herself to the darkness, her last thought now rang out in Loki's mind.

_'I love you...'_

OoOoO

"Please... please..."

He was actually shaking inside that steel armor, his muscles tensed to their limits as he stared intently at the hole opened above him in the sky.

They had all seen the blinding light from the nuke's explosion and the aliens falling all around them as their neurological connection with the main ship was severed. But still none of them moved... none of them cheered... none of them dared to even breathe... and time itself seemed to have stopped, as they all stared at the portal hoping with every fiber of their being to see the young woman returning.

The first to realize that she wasn't coming back was Thor who now reached out and set a hand onto Steve's shoulder, drawing the soldier's gaze to him. His jaw clenched as he saw the young man's composure crumbling before his very eyes; watching as Steve lowered his head into his hands, he then averted his gaze to the tower where he could make out Loki's still form on the terrace, as the dark haired Æsir stared at the portal as well, thoroughly rooted to the spot.

"Close it..." Steve finally said, almost startling the Thunder God.

_"No!"_ Tony cut him off. _"She can still make it..."_

"She's not coming back, Stark..."

_"Says who...?"_

Inhaling deeply to try and regain at least some semblance of composure, Steve raised his teary eyes to the sky.

"This was her choice... we should respect it. Natasha, close the portal."

_"Al-alright..."_ came the woman's shaky reply, betraying her own tears.

_"Don't!"_

Tony's shout came too late, however, as did his attempt to fly over to the tower rooftop and just wrench that scepter out of the redhead's hands. Again stopping in midair he turned his stunned gaze to the sky, watching as the wavy edges of the portal closed in... and then he saw it; at the very last moment Kara fell through the small opening just before the portal was sealed.

"She made it..." Steve muttered in utter shock, watching as the young female plummeted toward the ground.

"She's not slowing down." Thor suddenly frowned.

Before he could get enough traction to take to the air, Tony flew in and caught her before landing a few steps away onto the destroyed street. Setting her on the ground he removed his helmet and literally threw it away before leaning over her.

"Kara... Kara, wake up. Wake up!" he pleaded desperately.

When she failed to respond, he picked her up and leaned her against his armor, stroking her disheveled hair whilst he lightly rocked back and forth, his cheek pressed to her forehead and his terrified gaze fixed onto the pavement before him.

"Please... please wake up..." he whispered. "Please... please..."

"Is she breathing?" Steve asked as he and Thor approached in a run.

The sight of Tony's crazed appearance had the soldier's heart skip a beat as the scientist's face filled with tears before his very eyes.

"Please... please wake up..." he kept on whispering, thoroughly unaware of anything else around him except the young woman in his arms.

_"Is she alright?"_ Natasha's voice suddenly rang out over Steve's radio.

Still staring at the sight before him, Steve finally felt a shaky gasp leaving his lungs.

"She... she's... oh God..." he muttered, feeling like he was going to throw up from the sheer shock his mind and body were forced to withstand.

Ultimately falling to his knees he covered his eyes with one hand and broke down into sobs. It wasn't more than a few moments later that he was startled to hear Tony's heart wrenching shout as he seemed to finally recover his voice.

"Why?!" he yelled out in a sudden bout of anger, his gaze having blurred entirely from the tears that simply would not stop overflowing while his armored hand still stroke her hair. "Goddamn it, why?!"

Why the hell had she interfered like that? Why had she known what to say in order to shock him exactly long enough for her to get beyond his reach? He was already half-dead with that shrapnel eating away at his chest, but she... she was supposed to die of old age, in a warm bed, surrounded by her family... not like this... not for him... not in a cold void, surrounded by hideous aliens... not amidst the destruction and dead bodies littering the streets.

He had promised... upon seeing Richard dead on the Helicarrier, he had vowed to look after her; to make sure she didn't get killed in some stupid fight. He had promised that she wouldn't die like this... she still had so much to live for... so much to do... so many people to help...

Ultimately his voice died out again – when no answer came to his demand, but the crushing silence which only the soldier's sorrowful cries pierced – and he pressed his lips to her forehead, whilst he tightly shut his eyes and broke out into silent sobs.

* * *

Sooo today's replies for my darlings :D

1. **SuperNaturalxxFreak** - Aww I'm soooo happy that you still loved that chapter as much as you did when you first read it. This entry is one of _my_ personal favorites although I do hope Tony fans don't hate me for taking the spotlight away from their favorite character.

As you so eloquently put it while we talked over the chapter, this story is ultimately about Kara and Loki, not about Tony or Steve or Thor, despite the heavy amount of movie scenes incorporated in it. But I still hope RDJ's fans won't hate me; I love RDJ and I love _all_ his roles, he's a mind blowing actor and he can so well fuse with each of his characters that it doesn't even seem like he's acting, it's as if he's just being himself. But I guess I'll just have to wait for fans' reactions; hopefully they won't be too shy to leave a review and give me their honest opinions.

And yes, I tried to keep Loki at least somewhat focused on Kara despite the Tesseract's influence, because ultimately he knows Kara is pretty much everything he has left. He lost the identity he once believed he had, he lost the brother he believed he had, he basically lost his roots because he grew up not even knowing of his own true heritage. So he knows he really doesn't have much left to call his own, except Kara.

But thank you so much, love, for reviewing each chapter even if you already read them. You have no idea how much it means to me to see the amount of love you poured onto this story ❤

2. **winter1990** - Thank you so much, darling. I'm so happy to hear the story managed to capture your interest. I hope this chapter rose to your expectations as well and I'm looking forward to hearing from you again :D

So these are my replies for today. Cheers, lovelies~ ( ˘ ³˘)❤


	26. Entry 25

Sooooo my darlings, enjoy the aftermath of the battle and the final _Avengers_ chapter. Starting next chapter we're off to _The Dark World_ to see what sort of mischief Loki can cause there. Sounds good? Are you guys excited to go back to Asgard? I hope you are ;)

But do toss me a review and let me know what you think of this chapter. Now enjoy, lovelies~

P.S. Every _Thor/The Avengers/Thor: The Dark World_ character belongs to the wonderful Marvel. I own nothing, except my OCs :)

* * *

**Entry #25**

_Ultimately his voice died out again and he pressed his lips to her forehead, whilst he tightly shut his eyes and broke out into silent sobs._

oOo

_**Location: **__Manhattan, New York, U.S.A._

_**Date: **__May 23, 2012_

Pain... excruciating, overwhelming pain... that was all she could feel at first. This definitely wasn't the way she had imagined death; if she'd gone to Hell, then God certainly wasn't being fair.

Then she finally realized that she could open her eyes and the first thing she saw was an unfamiliar ceiling, dimply lit by daylight coming through the curtains at the window. Allowing her vision a few moments to clear, she glanced around; this looked oddly similar to a bedroom, despite the medical machine she was connected to. Just where in the world was she? Was she still alive? How...?

_"How are you feeling, Miss Taylor?"_

The sound of Jarvis' voice startled her to the point where a short wannabe scream left her lips.

"J?"

_"Yes, Miss Taylor?"_

For a few moments all she could do was smile while her eyes filled with joyful tears. So she had made it... somehow, through some miracle, she'd made it out alive.

_"I know it's hard to believe right now... but everything's going to be alright."_

When Phil's warm voice came to her mind again, she laughed even while crying. She had never been a very religious person, nor had she put too much stock on tales of ghost sightings or other paranormal stories. But right now she couldn't help feeling that maybe Phil and her parents had indeed been watching over her from somewhere.

"Thank you..." she whispered.

_"Are you still in pain, Miss Taylor?"_ Jarvis asked after scanning her body and registering the fact that she was crying.

"I'm alright, J... are... are the others okay?"

_"Everyone is currently gathered here, at Stark Tower, to recover."_

"How... how long was I out?"

_"Three days, Miss Taylor. Shall I call someone, or would you like to rest?"_

"I've had enough rest for now, J." she smiled.

_"Then I shall inform Mister Stark that you are awake."_

OoOoO

_"Sir, Miss Taylor is awake."_

Raising his gaze from the manacles he had been working on for the past day, Tony stared in disbelief at the monitor from where Jarvis' voice had resounded. Standing in a sudden rush of euphoria, he dropped the tools he had been holding and literally ran out of the room, toward the upper floor where they had left Kara.

When he practically busted through the door to her room, for a second all he could do was stare at the young woman who had by now sat up against her pillows.

"You're an idiot, you know that?" he blurted out before he had consciously decided what to say, while his eyes grew hazy with tears.

"I missed you, too..." she retorted humorously.

Before she could react in any way Tony had moved to sit next to her, wrapping her in a tight embrace. At first she had no idea how to react, until his shoulders started shaking and she realized he was crying.

"It's okay..." she said softly. "Everything's alright now."

With silence lingering between them for a while, the young scientist ultimately leaned back and released her.

"I'll go tell the others; we were all worried sick." he said, wiping away the remnants of his tears.

When he tried to stand and she grasped his arm, he clenched his jaw at what he knew she wanted to ask. Indeed, looking back to her he sighted that concerned, pleading expression on her face.

"He's here..." he finally replied.

"I want to see him."

"I don't think..."

"Please, Tony. You have no idea what he went through..."

Heaving a sigh, the young male trailed a hand over his face.

"I think I can imagine..."

With that retort he left the room and – instead of heading to the main living room where he knew the others were currently gathered – took another path toward the room where they had imprisoned the dark haired menace.

"Come with me for a second." he said when his gaze met Loki's burning emeralds, overflowing with anger and hatred.

His statement, fortunately, caught the Æsir off guard and he narrowed his eyes in confusion as Tony moved to unlock the door.

"I got a surprise for you." came the scientist's snarky retort, to his questioning gaze.

"And why should I?" he sneered.

"Because this is something you want to see."

OoOoO

Stunned... he had been utterly and thoroughly rooted to the spot when the scientist had led him to what he had believed to be his new cell, only to be rewarded with the sight of Kara's loving smile once the door had opened. As expected, they hadn't told him that she was still alive... and those three days had been worse for him than even the darkest Hell that imagination could conjure. He hadn't even put up a fight when they had imprisoned him... he had seen no point to it. Without her, he just didn't know what to do or where to go anymore.

When he had finally regained his bearings enough to move toward her, her smile had faded and sorrow had taken over her features and she had raised her arms to reach for him, while her eyes had glazed over until warm tears flooded her fair cheeks.

"I'm sorry..." she whispered as he finally embraced her, her hand stroking his silky hair. "I'm so sorry I put you through that..."

With a relieved sigh, he was unable to hold back a smile at the sound of her voice and the warmth of her body.

"Hush, dearest..." he said soothingly.

He had been utterly broken when he had seen her falling back through the portal and found that he could no longer reach her consciousness. But now with each tear sprinkled kiss she repeatedly placed onto his cheek, with each motion of her hand as she combed her slender fingers through his hair, with each shaky breath she took that he could clearly hear... with each one of those otherwise unnoticeable gestures, she was gathering the shards of his soul and making him whole again.

At the same time Tony himself had arrived in the main living room where the others were gathered.

"You look like you've seen a ghost." Clint stated upon sighting him.

He had spent the last hour standing with Thor just outside the room, on the terrace, from where they had been watching the people below as they worked to repair the damaged buildings and streets left in the wake of Loki's attack.

"Maybe... she's... she's awake."

Shooting up from her seat on the couch, Natasha tried to walk past him only to have the young scientist extend an arm in front of her.

"I... wouldn't go in there right now..."

"What's wrong?" Bruce asked, closing the book he had been reading.

"I... he's... he's in there with her."

For a few moments everyone just stared at him in utter confusion, before Thor's deep voice finally rang out over the room.

"Loki?"

"Yeah. She wanted to see him... go figure."

"You left Loki with her _alone_?" Natasha asked in awe.

"Well I sure as hell wasn't going to stand there and watch them kiss or anything."

"If he runs away, it's on you." Clint retorted somewhat humorously.

Walking over to the half destroyed bar and pouring himself a brandy, Tony then again turned to face them after sipping the burning alcohol.

"I don't think he's going anywhere." he finally replied with obvious reluctance.

Damn it, he didn't want to admit that Kara had been right and that Loki actually loved her. He didn't want to believe it and it irked him that the green eyed devil was proving him wrong.

"He is more likely to stay willingly, now that he knows she is alive." Thor agreed.

He had seen it... that thoroughly shattered gaze in his brother's eyes; at first he had even feared that Loki would lose his sanity. And he felt so guilty for letting the others convince him that it was better to not tell him she was alive, after Jarvis had confirmed – much to everyone's joy – that she seemed to be merely in a state similar to a coma. They had feared that if Loki knew he would turn on them again and escape, possibly taking Kara with him. But for now, he hoped, it didn't matter anymore... she was alive and Loki knew that.

OoOoO

"Hey, look who came back from the dead."

Looking toward the door from where she had been resting in Loki's embrace, Kara smiled at the sight of Natasha who had finally convinced Tony to let her visit. While the redhead wasn't exactly thrilled to see Loki again – fully aware that he was probably still pissed at her for tricking him – she did inwardly find herself forced to admit that he and Kara did make a rather cute pair.

Watching him as he now leaned against the headboard of the bed, she was actually surprised to notice that his armor was gone, his torso only clad in a moss green shirt against which Kara was now resting, her head against his shoulder as one of his arms circled her, his other hand set onto her stomach where the young woman was playing with his slender fingers. And for a moment he appeared so peaceful and serene that Natasha even wondered if this was really the same guy who had tried to destroy an entire city three days past.

But at the same time she couldn't hold back a slight smile in the face of just how utterly happy Kara looked. Sure, Loki was a menace in everyone's eyes, but there had to be something more to him... something that would make Kara's expression light up like that whenever he was around. Grateful that he wasn't giving her that hate filled gaze, apparently too busy ignoring her in favor of watching Kara, the redhead approached the foot of the bed.

"I guess hanging out with the God of Mischief made me too naughty for Heaven." Kara finally replied, with a soft chuckle.

Loki's only reaction to that was an amused huff as he leaned down to kiss her silky hair, his free hand gently stroking along her upper arm.

"How are the others? Is everyone alright?"

Nodding with a smile, Natasha crossed her arms although that was mostly out of habit.

"Yeah, they're all fine. Tony still has some trouble eating after his little scuffle with Loki."

Looking between the redhead and the dark haired Æsir with a puzzled expression, Kara then sighted that familiar mischievous glimmer in his emerald eyes, despite the lack of humor on his expression. Oh yes, he definitely had no regrets about whatever had happened between him and the young scientist.

"Do I even want to know?"

"Probably not, dearest..." he replied, actually startling Natasha who hadn't expected to hear such a genuinely loving tone from him.

"Well... looks like you're in good hands." the redhead smiled while heading to the door, her voice sounding a bit gentler than anything she'd planned to let Loki hear. "I'll let you rest. I'm really glad you're alright."

oOoOoOoOoOoOoOo

**_Location: _**_Stark Tower / __Central Park, New York, U.S.A._

**_Date: _**_May 27, 2012_

"Really, Tony? He's not a dog... you can't put a muzzle on him."

Not even bothering to look up from the table where he had been working on the finishing touches of his latest little project, the scientist merely clicked his tongue at the utter annoyance in Kara's tone.

"I'm not taking any risks with that tongue of his. He made us turn on each other once... he'll do it again."

"Oh, for God's sake... I... Thor, say something!" she demanded, frowning to the Thunder God standing just a few steps away.

When the bulky male failed to reply, she shot him a shocked glance and crossed her arms.

"Oh, that's _very_ brotherly of you, Thor." she retorted, before leaving the lab.

Taking to one of the long corridors she soon arrived at the room where they had again locked up Loki after she had finally agreed to let go of him.

_"Miss Taylor, I am afraid Mister Stark has rewritten the lock yesterday morning."_ Jarvis informed her when the console failed to comply even after she had inserted the code.

"I hate him..." she muttered.

Looking up to the motion sensor's camera which was now fixed on her, she placed her hands onto her hips.

"Then please override it and open the door."

_"I am afraid I'm not allowed..."_

"Don't make me hack into you, J. I promise you won't enjoy the manner of violation I can bring upon you." she frowned.

Of course she wouldn't actually do anything to disable the AI; she would merely erase the new lockdown code, but Jarvis didn't need to know that. In a manner of moments the console beeped briefly before the door slid open to reveal Loki standing at the window, watching the clear morning sky. Stepping inside and letting the door slide to a close behind her, she took a moment to simply watch him as she had so many years ago when he'd first entered her life.

It was the memory of that first night that brought tears to her eyes, despite the warm, loving smile her lips twitched into. It wasn't fair... it wasn't fair at all that life would throw so many stones at them, and for what? Were they being punished for something... some crime they had committed without their knowledge? Was their love a crime? Were there some universal laws that they had broken by loving each other?

She had no answer to any of those questions, but she was so... so utterly tired of life not letting her be happy at least with the man she loved. Only when she felt Loki's arms around her as he silently embraced her, did she snap out of her contemplation and her body jolted in surprise.

"What has you so upset, love?" he asked, trailing the back of his fingers along her cheek.

Huffing in annoyance when his question reminded her of what Tony was working on, she set her arms around his slender waist and pouted.

"Tony and the others decided the safest way to let Thor take you back home is not only in shackles, but with a muzzle on too. They're afraid you're going to get into their heads if you talk and have them turn on each other again."

To her great surprise her words actually had Loki laugh in utter amusement; in truth she couldn't even recall the last time she had heard him laugh so sincerely.

"Well, they aren't wrong to believe that. I would do it, if only to have them amuse me with their childish bickering." he replied.

Still pouting, the young woman now crossed her arms against his chest.

"At least that stupid brother of yours could have said something."

His mischievous grin was all she could see before he leaned down to claim her lips.

"Then you might want to take advantage, while you still can..." he said tauntingly, prior to kissing her again.

In truth his heart quivered at the thought that he would have to face Odin's judgment on Asgard. While he was certain that his mother would not accept a death sentence for him, he knew the Allfather would likely send him to the dungeons, possibly forever. And the prospect of never seeing her again was actually worse than death.

His train of thought was suddenly derailed when he felt her body pressing against his, as she made use of her weight as leverage to push him back until he was forced to sit on the bed, only to have her crawl onto his lap. For a moment he was actually caught off guard by her sudden assertive demeanor, although he found himself utterly pleased to see that side of her that she so rarely showed to him.

"Dearest... are you sure you want to take advantage to _that_ extent?" he asked with a teasing smile.

"Hmm... let's see, we're in a place where anyone could walk in at any moment... and you're about to be sent back to Asgard to face trial for what you did a few days ago... and I have no guarantee as to how soon I'll be able to see you again..."

Looking to the ceiling momentarily in a fake display of contemplation, she then lowered her gaze to him.

"Yes."

With a short nod she leaned forward, wrapping her arms around his neck and molding her lips to his even as she heard him huff amusedly before his velvety tone resounded in her head with that tauntingly seductive shade she recalled so clearly.

_'Then should I remove these bothersome clothes, love?'_

_'Yes, goddamn it... yes!'_ she yelled at him in her mind, at the same time tugging on his coat to push it down his shoulders.

In her eagerness she lightly pressed her teeth against his lower lip to get him to open his mouth before her tongue rushed forward, seeking his. With one of her hands moving to the back of his head and her fingers buried in his hair, she finally felt him responding to her fervor; his own tongue now collided with hers in a passionate dance, while his hands moved beneath her shirt and to the edge of her jeans. When his thumb trailed the scar on her abdomen she actually shivered in pleasure, her skin clearly more sensitive in that spot than the rest of her body.

She actually wondered if she was even allowed to engage in such... leisurely activities. Tony had told her that they had taken her to the hospital and that the surgeon who had operated on her had used an innovative laser machine which was going to make the scar barely visible. But she had no idea if her body had recovered enough for such an extensive effort. It was precisely during those thoughts that she felt him leaning back and saw that knowing smile playing on his lips.

"I hate it when you tease me like that..." she pouted at him.

It was clear now that he had had no intention of going as far as sleeping with her; he probably knew better than anyone that her body had yet to recover fully. At her words the dark haired Æsir chuckled softly and briefly kissed her lips which were still slightly reddened from her earlier assault on him.

"I love you too, dearest." he replied playfully.

And damn it, he did love her; he could practically hear the sincerity in his tone, despite the jesting note. He didn't care anymore how she had managed to instill that sentiment in him, or when it had happened, or why he hadn't noticed it until recently... his chest felt too light and too warm for him to care.

"You're a ridiculous man." she laughed in spite of the joyful tears his words brought to her eyes.

Without waiting for some witty retort, she again leaned forward and pressed her lips to his, just when the door opened to reveal Tony. Staring in shock at the scene before him for a moment, the scientist then whirled around and cleared his throat.

_'Ignore him.'_ Loki stated in her head, utterly amused.

All too happy to comply, Kara merely pressed on in the lip lock. However, when Tony started hacking like an old man after three more attempts at gaining their attention by subtly clearing his throat, she was forced to break the kiss due to being unable to hold back her laughter anymore.

"No one is forcing you to stand there with the door open." Loki retorted, finally glancing to Tony with a satisfied smile on his lips.

"Yeah... well, I kind of have a huge mess to clean up after you wrecked my living room. And Thor kind of wants to go home."

"You're such an insensitive bastard." Kara retorted, still trying to hold back her laughter.

"That's precisely why he still has trouble eating." Loki stated, his smile and gaze taking on a mocking note.

"You'd make a great soccer player, I'll give you that one." the scientist retorted. "You got a mean kick."

Looking between them, Kara now arched a brow putting together what they were saying.

"You kicked him in the stomach?"

"I was aiming for his face, but I missed." Loki replied humorously.

Rolling her eyes at his antics, she pressed a short kiss to his lips.

"You are incorrigible..."

"And that's exactly why you love me." he winked, finishing her statement.

With those words, however, he grasped her thighs to keep her from falling to the floor when he stood, before setting her down onto her feet whilst his features drained of humor as he looked back to Tony.

"Let's get this over with, shall we?"

OoOoO

"Thank you, my friend."

Smiling as he stated that, the Thunder God briefly grasped Erik's shoulder after the scientist had placed the Tesseract in its container, which had been specifically designed to let Thor power it up and use it to transport Loki and himself back to Asgard. His humor, however, died a swift and merciless death when he turned to see Kara embracing his brother.

"I will speak to father... you have my word that no harm will come to him." he said when the young woman turned her steely gaze to him as he approached.

Ignoring his brother's glare, he offered Loki the other end of the device which the dark haired Æsir reluctantly grasped. With one last gaze to Erik and the others, the Thunder God's azure eyes once more settled onto Kara's pointed look and he nodded, in an unspoken attempt at reassuring her that he would keep his word.

Locking gazes with his brother then, he activated the device and powered up the Tesseract until the Cube's energy ultimately took them away from Midgard.

* * *

Sooo today's replies for my darlings :D

1. **Kate Elizabeth Black** - Darling there will be many more chapters, no worries. I still have one more movie to go through and I'm hoping you'll enjoy the story segment for _The Dark World_ as much as you enjoyed the story up to this point :D

2. **JennyDAllred** - Aww I'm sorry and happy at the same time that you're fighting back tears; that means I did a good job of writing that scene. I'm pretty much the same, the most that the actual movie scene got out of me was a knot in my throat, but I think that in movies like this somewhere in the back of your mind you KNOW that none of the main characters can die, so the scenes themselves kind of lose weight and meaning. Which is sad, actually, because I thoroughly enjoy movies that make me cry. For example I ALWAYS cry at _Lord of the Rings_, I just cannot help it despite having watched those movies like a zillion times.

But I'm so happy to hear you loved the story so far. I'm hoping the last segment will keep meeting your expectations with each chapter. Thank you so much for the review and I hope to hear from you again soon :D

3. **EverlastingMuse** - Haha I'm sorry to hear that, but fret not, that wasn't the ending. We still have one more movie to sift through so hold on to your butt because with the next chapter we're off to _The Dark World _;)

4. **SuperNaturalxxFreak** - Wow that's quite a feat, love. I really didn't expect you to go through such intense emotions, considering it was your second read of the chapter. But while I'm sorry you went through all those negative emotions, I'm also happy because that was pretty much the point. And I went through them all the same while writing the chapter, so I wholeheartedly empathize with my readers.

But I am really grateful for all the support you offered me and you keep offering me. It's just such a huge motivator to keep writing and it just makes writing so fun and relaxing for me, to have people to discuss my stories with - and writers themselves at that - because it just gives me that really nice feeling that I'm not alone, or weird or anything.

So thank you so much, love, for everything you've done and everything you're doing to help me with this story and with all my other ideas :D

5. **pheobep3** - Wow... just wow, I am so thoroughly astounded and humbled that you loved the story so much as to read all the chapters in one go. That's really such a feat, darling, and I applaud you for it. Even I can't read it all in one day when I go back to re-read it and get back in the proper mood to continue.**  
**

But I'm so glad that you loved it so far and I hope what I have in store next will keep you just as engaged. I'm looking forward to hearing from you again, honey :D

So these are my replies for today. Cheers, lovelies~ ( ˘ ³˘)❤


	27. Entry 26

As promised, my lovely readers, we're off to _The Dark World_ and the last part of our adventure together... well not exactly, because I have a few more surprises in store for you ;)

But for now enjoy this starter chapter for the third and final movie which my story encompasses. Maybe when they release the third _Thor_ movie in 2017 I'll add that one in as well and turn this into a trilogy. Who knows? We'll have to wait and see... for now this story and its sequel should be enough to keep you entertained until that movie comes out.

So do toss me a review and let me know everything that goes through your mind. I want to hear all of it, darlings~

P.S. Every _Thor/The Avengers/Thor: The Dark World_ character belongs to the wonderful Marvel. I own nothing, except my OCs :)

* * *

**Entry #26**

_Locking gazes with his brother then, he activated the device and powered up the Tesseract until the Cube's energy ultimately took them away from Midgard._

oOo

_**Location: **__The Royal Palace, Asgard / S.H.I.E.L.D. Helicarrier / London, U.K._

_**Date: **__September 15, 2013_

"Loki..."

The sound of Frigga's voice – ever so faintly shaking as the queen battled to hold her tears in at the sight of her son in chains – now drew Loki's gaze to her.

"Hello, mother. Have I made you proud?" he asked, his tone even now holding a jesting note.

"Please don't make this worse."

"Define _worse_."

"Enough!" Odin commanded from his throne. "I will speak to the prisoner alone."

Shooting her husband a reproachful glance, Frigga ultimately walked away and left the room while Loki stepped closer to the throne and momentarily took up the straight pose he had been taught to display when standing before his father. Ultimately unable to hold in his amusement anymore, he loosed a chuckle.

"I really don't see what all the fuss is about."

"Do you truly not feel the gravity of your crimes? Wherever you go, there is war, ruin and death."

"I went down to Midgard to rule the people of Earth as a benevolent god. Just like you." Loki retorted.

"We are not gods. We are born, we live, we die... just as humans do."

"Give or take five thousand years."

"All this because Loki desires a throne..."

"It is my birthright!" the dark haired Æsir now stated, his tone revealing that he was done joking around with his father.

"Your birthright was to die!" Odin yelled at him. "As a child... cast out onto a frozen rock. If I had not taken you in, you would not be here now to hate me."

"If I am for the axe, then for mercy's sake... just swing it." he pleaded, taking one more step forward. "It's not that I don't love our little talks, it's just... I don't love them."

"Frigga is the only reason you're still alive and you will never see her again. You will spend the rest of your days in the dungeons."

With the guards pulling on the chains extending from his waist, the green eyed prince now narrowed his eyes at his father, barely holding back the tears he felt gathering behind his eyelids.

"And what of Thor?" he asked. "You'll make that witless oaf king while I rot in chains?"

"Thor must strive to undo the damage you have done. He will bring order to the nine realms and then... yes... he will be king."

It was only when he was back in his cell and after the guards had left that Loki finally allowed his tears the freedom they desired. He didn't even know what he wanted anymore; death? Freedom? He had no idea what he wanted, but he definitely knew what he missed... and that was Kara.

OoOoO

Startled out of the book she had been reading, Kara averted her eyes to the cell phone which was now ringing madly next to her on the bed. Blinking in awe as she sighted the caller ID, she then placed the device to her ear.

"Darcy?"

_"Kara, I really need your help... Jane's gone... I don't know where she went. She was just here, a while ago... I can't find her anywhere..."_

"Darcy, calm down. What happened? Where are you?"

The sound of a sigh came over the phone before the young girl started speaking again, this time on a calmer tone.

_"We're in London; we were supposed to meet Erik here. He said he had something to show Jane but we haven't heard from him since we arrived. And today we found this really weird place where things vanish if you throw them into the air and concrete-mixers float in the air and..."_

"Darcy... get to the point. What happened to Jane?"

_"She went off by herself to check out some readings we found. They looked just like the ones in New Mexico, so she went off... and now I can't find her anymore and she's not answering her phone."_

Sighing lightly, the young woman set the book down and moved to her feet.

"Alright, call the police if she doesn't show up in another few minutes. I'll be there as soon as I can."

_"Right... police. Why didn't I think of that?"_

Withholding a sarcastic retort, Kara dropped the cell phone onto the bed and once more sighed. She hadn't seen or talked to Jane and Darcy ever since that last night in New Mexico. In truth she didn't really feel comfortable going there, but now that she knew something might have happened to the young scientist, she couldn't just stand aside.

And frankly she wanted to work... it was the only way she could stop thinking of Loki at least for a short while. Even knowing that he was alive and well, the burden of not seeing him and not knowing when she would see him again or _if_ she would ever see him again, wasn't any easier to bear. The only way she could keep herself from getting depressed once more, was to immerse herself in work... and that was exactly what she planned on doing.

Changing her clothes into one of the usual one-piece black leather suits she often donned for missions, the young agent retrieved her pistol and set it into its pouch which she then strapped to her thigh. Under a last minute impulse she also retrieved her bladed gloves; after all, she had no idea what she was going to find there.

"London, huh?" she muttered to herself while pulling the gloves onto her hands and forearms.

It was awkward to go back to that city when such bittersweet memories tied her to it. Well, not like she had a choice now. With that in mind she ultimately left her room and – rather than heading to Fury's office – took the path toward the outer deck of the massive ship.

The moment she set foot outside her lungs constricted and she had to take several deep breaths of the thin air, in order to satisfy her body's need for oxygen, at least temporarily. It took her longer than she'd thought to reach the edge of the runway from where she could glance down into the white blanket of clouds beneath the Helicarrier. Once more inhaling deeply she then leapt off the edge hoping they weren't flying over any mountains.

Fortunately it seemed they had been flying over France, as she instantly recognized the Eiffel Tower upon seeing it. Taking out her phone and activating the GPS system, she then shot off amidst the clouds, heading straight for London. A mere couple of hours later she was rewarded with the sight of the English capital and she thanked every known god for the thick cover of clouds that kept her hidden from the eyes of the masses on the streets below. Well, now that she was here, there was only one thing left to do...

_"Good day, Miss Taylor."_

Smiling at Jarvis' voice after she had dialed a specific number, Kara inwardly grinned at her ingenuity; after the whole madness with Loki had settled down, she had spoken to Tony and the scientist had linked her cell phone directly to Jarvis, allowing her to make use of the AI without any restrictions.

"J, can you locate the source of my last call please?"

A few moments of silence followed her question, before the robotic voice spoke again in her ear.

_"The source of the signal is located at precisely 500 yards to your right, at the edge of the city. Shall I inform Mister Stark of your whereabouts? Do you require assistance?"_

"Nah, I'm alright with this one... thank you, Jarvis."

_"Always a pleasure, Miss Taylor."_

Setting her phone back in its pouch she now turned in midair, heading toward that location. Upon arriving and sighting the police cars gathered amidst what looked like the buildings of an abandoned factory, she landed somewhere out of sight and walked the rest of the way; she didn't quite fancy showing off her ability if she didn't need to.

"Kara!"

Darcy's relieved shout brought her out of her thoughts as she approached, and she offered a slight smile to the young girl.

"Long time... did you find Jane?"

"No and I'm getting really worried. It's been five hours..."

Looking to the entrance of a building out back, Kara now sighted the young scientist running toward them.

"I don't think you need to worry anymore."

Whirling around, Darcy now rushed over to Jane with Kara in tow. Her "mission" might have been over before it had even begun, but she was curious to find out just where Jane had vanished off to and what Darcy had been blabbering about on the phone.

"Jane! Where the hell were you?" Darcy complained.

"Tell me you didn't call the police." the scientist retorted.

"What was I supposed to do?"

"_Not_ call the police?"

"I was freaking out..."

"You call the police, they call the Feds. Next thing you know, we have SHIELD crawling all over, _Area 51_-ing the place."

Sighting Kara, she frowned while the young agent arched her brows in surprise.

"See? See? They're already here... I can't believe you, Darcy!"

"Jane..."

"We had a stable gravitational anomaly. We had unimpeded access... our only competition was ten years old!"

"Jane!" Darcy finally yelled. "You were gone for five hours."

"What?"

When thunder rumbled in the sky above them, Kara glanced upwards only to finally realize that even though it was pouring, there was a certain area around the three of them, much like an invisible dome, where the rain didn't enter.

"That's weird..." Darcy muttered, speaking out Kara's exact thoughts.

While staring at one another, the three young women were rendered utterly speechless by that unnatural display, until Jane sighted Thor standing a few steps away and rushed over, the dome-like shield moving along with her and leaving Darcy and Kara in the cold rain.

"Typical..." Darcy muttered.

"You should learn to carry an umbrella." Kara chuckled.

Putting her hands together she then extended them upwards in a sweeping motion, the rain now bouncing off the small shield she had conjured above Darcy and herself. The sharp sound of a slap, however, startled her and drew her gaze back to Jane who had just smacked Thor a second time.

"Where were you?" she demanded.

"Where were _you_?" he asked in return. "Heimdall could not see you."

"I was right here where you left me. I was waiting and then I was crying and then I went out looking for you. You said you were coming back."

"I know, I know... but the Bifrost was destroyed. The nine realms erupted into chaos; wars were raging, marauders were pillaging. I had to put an end to the slaughter."

"As excuses go it's not terrible. But I saw you on TV... you were... you were in New York with... with Kara!"

"Jane I fought to protect you from the dangers of my world but I was wrong. I was a fool..."

When the two of them started mumbling as they were getting lost in each other's eyes, Darcy finally rolled her eyes and ran over to them.

"Hey! Is this you?" she asked, smiling to Thor and pointing to the downpour.

With the rain coming to a sudden halt, Jane now frowned at her.

"Uh, we're kinda in the middle of something."

"I'm pretty sure we are getting arrested." Darcy retorted.

While Jane was talking to the police, Kara had just retrieved her phone with the intention of letting Fury know of the current situation, only to have it ripped out of her hand when a sudden shockwave hit her in the stomach. Fortunately she had been standing close enough for Thor to grab her before she could hit the ground.

"Are you alright?"

"Yeah... wh-what the hell was that?"

Looking around she spotted Jane lying on the ground.

"Jane? Jane!"

Rushing over to her along with Thor she watched as the Thunder God helped Jane to her feet while one of the policemen approached them.

"Put your hands on your head. Step back." he ordered.

"This woman is unwell." Thor replied.

"She's dangerous."

"So am I."

While the policeman requested backup, Thor wrapped Jane in his arms as thunder rumbled in the sky above. Seemingly thinking it over for a moment, he then glanced to Kara, almost startling her when he extended one arm and set it around her waist.

"Hold on to me... both of you."

"What are you doing?" she asked at the same time as Jane posed the same question.

With Thor merely raising his gaze to the sky whilst a multicolored beam of light suddenly crashed onto them, the two women were left to stare in awe as the world faded away until they could see the clouds surrounding them and then nothing but the vast emptiness of space; the sight of planets and meteorites passing them by at that dazzling speed had Kara tightening her hold onto Thor as much as she could, hoping they wouldn't hit one of them. The journey lasted no more than a couple of minutes and soon the two females were staring at the rounded building which Kara by now assumed was the Bifrost keep.

"We have to do that again." Jane said grinning like a little kid at an amusement park.

Upon sighting Heimdall looking at her, however, she settled her grin into a cautious smile.

"Uh... hi..."

"Welcome to Asgard." the guardian replied, his amber gaze trailing from Jane to Kara.

For a split second, the young woman could swear that she sighted a flicker of sorrow in his eyes, but it was gone before she could be certain, hidden behind the Gatekeeper's warm smile.

"Jane, come... I'll take you to the healers." Thor said gently.

"Wait..." Kara replied. "So why am _I_ here?"

Heimdall's low tone startled her when the male chuckled softly, his words leaving her speechless and unable to do anything but gawk at him.

"My prince believed you would be happy to see his brother."

* * *

Sooo today's replies for my darlings :D

1. ******SuperNaturalxxFreak** - Haha well Loki definitely is the biggest tease to have ever walked any of the nine realms ;)

But joke aside, I'm so happy that this story has managed to keep you so engaged and so interested. And I really don't mind if every chapter is your favorite chapter, that just shows me how much love you put into this story. And for that I'll always keep thanking you, darling :D

2. **JennyDAllred** - Aww I'm sorry to hear that; no one should be forced to watch a movie, because then they miss the chance to enjoy it. But on a more joyful note, I'm so glad you're looking forward to the last part of the story. I'm hoping it'll keep meeting your expectations and that you'll enjoy it just as much as you enjoyed the adventure until now.

3. **smkyle** - No worries hun, the story's not over yet. We still have a long way to go before it'll be done so for now just enjoy the ride and the naughtiness Loki's going to bring in this last part ;)

4. **JenJen018** - Wow, darling I am baffled... I can never re-read it all in one day, so when I have readers telling me they read the whole thing in one day I'm just mindblown. You guys are awesome! :D

But really I'm so happy that you loved it this much. I hope you'll enjoy what's to come just as much as you enjoyed it up to this point.

5. **pheobep3** - Hehe well it's not like he'll be out of the action for too long, no worries. I have a lot of plans for him and Kara in this last segment of the story ;)

And I wholeheartedly empathize with that; I have the same thing whenever I read a good book. It's just so hard to leave it be even if I just have to go eat or drink some water. I've spent a lot of nights reading instead of sleeping, so I completely understand you.

I'm hoping you'll have an easy year in college, darling; I know from some of my friends just how hellish and grueling law school can be. But I'm sure you'll be awesome and kick ass :D

So these are my replies for today. Cheers, lovelies~ ( ˘ ³˘)❤


	28. Entry 27

Sooooo lovelies... we're back on Asgard! Are you guys excited to see Loki again? Are you curious what adventures await Kara in this new realm? I sure hope so~

So toss me a review and let me know what goes through your mind, although I warn you... Kara's reunion with Loki might not go the way many of you likely expected it to ;)

Now enjoy, darlings~ :D

P.S. Every _Thor/The Avengers/Thor: The Dark World_ character belongs to the wonderful Marvel. I own nothing, except my OCs :)

* * *

**Entry #27**

_"My prince believed you would be happy to see his brother."_

oOo

_**Location: **__The Royal Palace, Asgard_

_**Date: **__September 15, 2013_

Upon entering the castle, with Jane gawking at everything around her and Kara trying to hold back her amusement at the scientist's child-like eagerness, they soon sighted what appeared to be a maid and Thor beckoned over the young woman.

"Take her to the queen's chambers." he said, motioning the maid toward Kara. "Tell mother she is here to see my brother and I will be along soon."

"Wha-what?" Jane asked, suddenly snapped out of her awe.

"Do not worry, she will be safe with my mother."

"I'm not here to babysit you, Jane..." Kara retorted in amusement. "Go see the healers."

With the young scientist blushing lightly when the agent winked at her, Kara was left to follow the maid until the woman led her into a set of luxurious chambers, decorated in shades of pale green and dark blue. Halting at the door when the maid motioned her to, Kara suddenly found herself nervous to meet Loki's mother. Sure, he had spoken of her, but she barely remembered much of what he had told her of his family.

"Your Highness..." came the maid's voice from what seemed to be one of the many rooms composing the queen's quarters. "Prince Thor has sent a young woman to you. He says she is here to see his brother."

A moment of silence followed, which had Kara lightly gulp in anticipation, before she heard a female voice which she was certain did not belong to the queen.

"Then I will be taking my leave, Your Highness."

Upon those words Kara was rewarded with the sight of a fiery head of long, wavy hair adorning a young female's heart-shaped face. Her attire somehow reminded her of a warrior and a princess at the same time, but what really caught Kara's attention – aside from the woman's unearthly beauty – were the pointy ears she could see peeking from amidst the red strands, as well as the young female's charcoal eyes; for a moment Kara felt as though she was looking into a pair of shiny black pearls... but then she sighted something in the female's gaze, that sent a cold shiver along her spine.

If she had to describe it, she would have said that the Elf's gaze had gone from a shade of smug satisfaction in the face of Kara's obvious awe, to a sort of murderous glare in the span of just one second. It had been such an intense sensation – like the she-Elf had literally reached out to grasp her neck and try to choke her – that Kara was compelled to lower her eyes. Never had she been subjected to such an overwhelming bloodlust; not even when looking Glenn in the eye.

"Welcome to Asgard." Vanya stated in a whisper as she passed by the human female, her voice betraying a particular brand of cold sarcasm.

That? That was the woman Frigga had told her about? That was the woman Loki had spoken of? That wasn't competition... but still, if that child proved to be a problem, she would see to it that the little Midgardian was taken care of.

Even after she left the chambers, Kara was still rooted to the spot by the sheer malice in that tone, which had frozen her very core. Not even Loki, in his darkest moment, had spoken with such venom in his voice. She felt her knees trembling lightly and her stomach tightening as though she was about to throw up. The only thing to snap her out of that sickly state was the sight of Frigga's warm smile, which now washed over her like the sun after a frozen rain; it actually reminded her of her own mother to some extent.

"I have been looking forward to meeting you, child." she said softly. "Come..."

Had it been Thor, who had spoken of many women over the years, she would not have been this happy to meet Kara; but she was the first woman Loki had ever spoken of, and the queen had to admit that she was thoroughly curious. When she moved to follow, Frigga turned to the maid and sent the young female to prepare one of the guest chambers, as well as Asgardian attire, given that Kara's Midgardian clothes stood out too much.

Once the maid had left, the queen beckoned Kara to follow her outside into her private gardens.

"Do you know what surprised me the most, after Loki returned from Midgard?" she said contemplatively, looking to the young girl at her side. "That he told me he misses someone. He regretted nothing of his actions in your world... other than hurting you. I tried to tell him that human lives are much too short and that he would only be left to suffer for thousands of years after your death."

Halting, the queen now smiled again, reaching out to set her hands onto Kara's shoulders.

"But seeing you now, I do understand why he would be willing to subject himself to that. Such a beautiful Midgardian I have yet to see."

"I doubt it was that which gained his attention." the young woman replied shyly.

"Oh yes, he told me of your gift. I must admit I was quite impressed... but I was more impressed that you managed to gain his heart. Loki was never someone you could easily cope with, but to hear him speak so fondly of you... it made me happy to know he trusts someone other than me, to such an extent."

Leaning over, the queen now placed a soft kiss to the girl's forehead.

"He told me that you lost your parents..." she said, reaching out and taking Kara's hands in hers. "But know that you have a mother in me from now on."

Her words brought tears to the young woman's eyes, even as she lightly squeezed Frigga's hands in return and offered a silent nod. Smiling again, the queen extended a hand and trailed her fingers along one of the girl's chocolate locks before beckoning one of her maids to approach.

"Now go bathe and change... I will speak to the guards."

OoOoO

Two hours later Kara was still just as nervous as she had been when the queen had sent her away. She hadn't been allowed to bathe by herself, two maids helping her with that, and she couldn't shake the feeling that they believed her to be some form of royalty, after Frigga had spoken so fondly to her. But while it did make her feel a bit awkward, she was grateful for their help given that her hands were so shaky that she wouldn't have been able to even undress by herself, much less bathe or comb her hair.

"Is it true, miss? That you come from Midgard?"

The sudden question coming from the young woman – probably not much older than herself – who had been brushing her hair, almost startled Kara who now glanced at her in the mirror and smiled lightly.

"Yes."

The sight of her expression lighting up actually astounded her.

"What's Midgard like, miss? Is it true that you have buildings that reach to the clouds?"

At that Kara was utterly unable to hold back a soft chuckle.

"They don't exactly reach the clouds... I'm pretty sure our tallest building is much smaller than this palace."

"And is it true that you have people who can fly? And others who are so strong that they can bring down a building with their bare hands?"

With Kara's smile fading and her expression settling in awe as she stared at the young maid, the other, elder servant stepped into the room with what appeared to be a dress draped over her arm.

"Tyra! Stop bothering the Lady with questions and finish your task."

"Yes, ma'am."

"It's alright..." Kara replied softly. "I don't mind the questions, but... where did you hear about that, Tyra?"

With the young girl blushing and shying away under her questioning gaze, Kara tilted her head lightly until Tyra finally replied.

"Prince Loki told me about that... Her Highness, the queen, often sends me to him with books. Before he returned from Midgard last year, I used to clean his chambers because I was the only one he didn't mind having around. Not that I had much to clean anyway... he always was very tidy. Unlike his brother..."

"Tyra!" the elder maid exclaimed, apparently shocked at such honesty from the young woman. "How can you speak so improperly of prince Thor?"

"It's quite alright..." Kara laughed lightly before winking at the girl in the mirror. "I won't tell anyone, even if I'm sure Thor himself would agree."

Despite knowing that she was in for a serious scolding later, Tyra still offered Kara a grateful smile.

"I'm finished, miss." she said a few minutes later.

Once she had moved to her feet, Tyra and the elder servant helped her put on the attire prepared for her; a long, flowing dress made of something Kara had first believed to be silk, only to find that it was much lighter and smoother than any silk she had ever touched. Her waist had been strapped in a narrow golden belt to compliment her slender figure, the warm honey color making a nice contrast to the dress' dark shades of green, almost bordering on black, and completing the almost identical golden shade of the petticoat which could only be glimpsed at beneath the slightly see-through dark emerald layer. With her feet being clad in light footwear which reminded her of ballet shoes, the last thing she donned was a dark grey cloak with a hood large enough to shadow her eyes.

"Are you sure you want to cover yourself like this, miss?" Tyra asked. "You look no different from one of our own women."

"It's better this way... you can never be too careful." she replied, smiling softly to the young girl.

Moments later a loud knock on her door had Tyra rush to open it, revealing a pair of guards in golden armor.

"Her Highness has sent us to escort Lady Kara to the dungeons." the male stated, apparently ignoring the maid and addressing Kara herself.

With a nod, the young woman moved to follow them, inhaling deeply in an attempt at settling down her pounding heart. She was actually nervous to see Loki, as she had no idea how he had changed during his time in prison.

"You will have unrestricted access to the prince's cell, as per the queen's orders." the male stated again as they walked, startling her out of her thoughts. "Her Highness has ordered that no guards be present whilst you are there. Should you require anything, there will be two guards at the other end of the corridor and they will offer any assistance that you request."

"I understand. Thank you."

For a moment she sighted what she assumed was surprise on the male's features, probably due to the lack of authority in her tone. Falling silent afterwards, however, she merely allowed the two soldiers to guide her along the labyrinth-like structure of the palace. At long last, after what seemed like an eternity of twists and turns, the two males pushed open a pair of heavy doors and Kara was rewarded with a sight that she would have never imagined when thinking of a dungeon.

This definitely wasn't a regular prison; no chains, no bars, no locks... the cells were painted in pure white, lit from above by what she could have taken for neon lamps. But the most interesting thing, by far, was the fact that the wall which would have normally contained the door to each cell had no bars and no door, in fact. It was nothing but a thin layer of what she guessed was some form of force field... after all, she didn't imagine that any one of the males in those cells were sitting there of their own accord.

Finally, glancing to the right side of the long corridor built of what seemed to be a form of black stone, she sighted Loki in the very first cell of that row, standing near one of the exterior walls and apparently talking to someone who had been visiting him before her arrival. She couldn't tell who the person was, given that they too seemed to have chosen a hooded cloak, but she could tell it was a woman. Vaguely she recalled Loki mentioning a female among his friends, namely Sif, the Goddess of War. Perhaps she had come to visit him...

With the guards closing the heavy doors behind her, the young woman was now left to descend the steps and approach the cell, trying her best to fight back a smile. He really hadn't changed at all... at least physically. With him wearing fewer clothes than usual she could tell he had the same slender but well defined build that she faintly recalled seeing in its entire splendor all those years before.

What snapped her out of that contemplation upon approaching within earshot, was the voice she instantly recalled as belonging to the she-Elf, and her breath caught in her throat. Why? Why was _she_ there?

"Agree to marry me and I'll persuade my father to demand your release... I'll give you the throne of Alfheim. The Allfather won't be able to refuse, unless he wants war with my people."

For a moment Kara felt utterly rooted to the spot, when she sighted that amused smirk on Loki's lips. He wasn't actually considering that offer... was he? That mere thought now caused such a mixture of emotions to swell in her chest – anger, fear, sorrow – that she stepped forward and spoke before even consciously deciding to make her presence known.

"Don't you dare..."

Instantly his expression emptied of humor; that voice... oh, heaven knew how much he had dreamed of hearing that voice again. With his emerald gaze moving from Vanya to the hooded figure standing a few steps behind, he could do nothing but stare in shock as Kara ultimately removed the hood and he sighted that gaze... that frighteningly pained gaze in her eyes which suddenly made his heart quiver. Only when she lowered her eyes from his and set them upon Vanya who had by now turned around to face her, did Loki release a breath he hadn't even noticed he was holding.

"And why would he not?" the she-Elf retorted, making Loki clench his jaw as a cold shiver rolled along his spine.

Why? Why did his heart shake like that in his chest? Why did he have such a bad feeling about seeing Kara there? Why did he suddenly feel like crying, despite being so utterly happy that she was there?

"What can you give him, better than what I just offered?" Vanya continued, narrowing her eyes when Kara failed to reply. "I can give him his freedom back... and the throne he always wanted and deserved. You would only give him words of comfort while standing outside his cell."

The sight of that slight frown vanishing from Kara's face, leaving behind an emotionless mask, actually had Loki stare at her in shock. Her look said it all... he was about to lose her. And when she again raised her eyes to him, he took a step forward barely even remembering the words to speak.

"No... Kara..." he pleaded.

"She's right." the young woman replied, offering him a smile devoid of any trace of warmth or love. "I hope you have a good life... be a good king."

Unable to do anything but watch her rush back up the stairs and through the heavy doors which the guards had opened to bring in a few new prisoners, he felt tears stinging his eyes before they overflowed onto his cheeks, and he heard his own pain filled voice echoing off the cold stone.

"KARA!"

* * *

Sooo today's replies for my darlings :D

1. **Forbidden Moons** - Aww I'm so sorry you got upset, darling, hope the cookies helped. Well I'm still not certain if I'll kill Kara in the end, or find some plot twist to keep her alive, but I can tell you for certain that I do have a sequel planned out, so this won't be the last you see of her and Loki ;)

I hope that even with that uncertainty looming about you still enjoyed the story so far. I'm looking forward to hearing from you again :D

2. ******SuperNaturalxxFreak** - I personally preferred Darcy in the first movie; in _The Dark World_ she was just reduced to being useless, other than providing comic relief. Which is a shame, because she's a very cool character. As for Jane, I enjoy her when she's with Darcy or Erik or anyone else... with Thor... those two just have NO chemistry whatsoever, as far as I could see.

Anyway, there's still more goodies to come... I'm hoping you enjoy reading the last bits of the story, even if it'll be a while still before the uploaded version catches up with those chapters. As always, I'm so grateful for all the excitement and love you're pouring into this story. You really are such an amazing beta and I'm so happy that I got to meet you :D

3. **smkyle** - Haha well there you have it, even if it probably didn't go as most of my lovely readers were expecting. But the bumpier the road, the sweeter it is when you finally get to your goal.

Hope you enjoyed this chapter as well and I'm looking forward to hearing from you again, darling :D

4. **iuwan** - Aww you really shouldn't lose sleep over my story, even if I am terribly overwhelmed that you loved it so much and that it sucked you in so well that you couldn't even sleep. I am so happy that you're still interested even after so many chapters, I always have this fear that if I write a story with too many chapters, people will get bored of it. So I'm really happy when my readers tell me that they still love it just as much :D

As for your English, no worries, I didn't have any trouble understanding your review so it's all good ;)

I hope this chapter rose up to your expectations as well and that you'll enjoy the rest of the journey to the very end. Hope to hear from you again soon, honey :D

So these are my replies for today. Cheers, lovelies~ ( ˘ ³˘)❤


	29. Entry 28

Soooo another chapter is ready for your enjoyment, lovelies. Hope you liked that little twist at the end of the previous chapter. So without any further ado, I'll let you get to reading. Oh, just one small mention... I hope you all like Frigga, because she's going to have a lot of "screen time" in the chapters for _The Dark World_ before she dies ;)

But don't be shy to toss me a review and let me know eeeeeeeverything that crosses your mind. I'm eager to talk to y'all wonderful people.

Now enjoy, darlings~ :D

P.S. Every _Thor/The Avengers/Thor: The Dark World_ character belongs to the wonderful Marvel. I own nothing, except my OCs :)

* * *

**Entry #28**

_Unable to do anything but watch her rush back up the stairs [...] he heard his own pain filled voice echoing off the cold stone._

"_KARA!"_

oOo

_**Location: **__The Royal Palace, Asgard_

_**Date: **__September 15 / 16, 2013_

For a few moments all he could do was stare at the heavy doors behind which she had disappeared, his gaze blurry as he found that he simply could not hold back his tears. Never... never had he felt so truly alone and frightened, as he felt now. Never had anything appeared so scary to him, as that lack of emotion on her expression. Never had anything felt so cold, as that hollow smile which had frozen him to his very core.

"Come now... you're not really getting _this _worked up over a human, are you?"

The sound of Vanya's astounded tone had him turn his gaze to the she-Elf.

"Get out..."

"What?" she replied, narrowing her eyes in disbelief.

"Get out of my sight!" he growled, baring his teeth at her.

When she failed to comply, apparently too shocked by the overflowing hatred in his crazed gaze, he grabbed the nearby chair and flung it at her face; her only fortune was that the force field resisted the impact, the chair itself breaking into pieces whilst the lights flickered due to that sudden surge in energy.

"Get out!" he bellowed.

Finally she backed away whilst coming down from that rush of fear, and offered him a stern gaze.

"I'll come back when you're in a better mood."

It was only after she was gone that the dark haired Æsir finally gave in to the weight of his own emotions, dropping to his knees and placing a hand over his eyes whilst he ultimately broke down into silent sobs.

OoOoO

"Kara?"

The female voice had the young woman stop dead in her tracks, whilst the queen approached her, sighting her tearstained face.

"What happened?" Frigga asked, her tone still gentle despite her stern gaze.

"Nothing..." she whispered, still trying to hold back from breaking into a sobbing mess.

That utterly desperate, heart wrenching tone she'd heard echoing behind her had been enough to almost make her go back... but she didn't want to be there... not while that... that _woman_ was there. Like in a dream she felt Frigga's arm around her shoulders, urging her to follow the queen until they arrived in what she recognized as the woman's chambers. Locking the doors, the queen then set Kara to sit prior to seating herself next to her.

"Now... tell me what happened." she asked, her tone holding that same soothing note Kara recalled her own mother using whenever she was upset.

Unable to resist the woman's plea, she took a deep breath and finally told Frigga everything she had heard from the she-Elf and how she had sighted that murderous spark in the redhead's eyes upon their first meeting.

"For goodness' sake, that boy..." Frigga stated on an utterly displeased tone, once Kara had finished speaking. "I warned him to be mindful of that woman."

"You... you knew?"

"Vanya is a seductress... she has more than just her natural wiles. She uses magic to enhance that natural skill, and that is very easy for someone like me to notice; I suspected she set her eyes on Loki, for some time. I warned him to be careful, but he was always a man who enjoyed challenges and sought to prove that he could not be controlled, no matter how anyone tried."

Sighting the concerned expression on Kara's face, the queen instead smiled warmly and set an arm around the girl, soothingly rubbing her shoulder whilst she embraced her.

"He loves you..." she said softly. "He may not have said it out loud in front of me, but I know my own son well enough. He does love you... never doubt that."

She wasn't about to let Loki be a fool and lose Kara; her intuition told her that the young Midgardian was a wonderful woman, and she would not allow Loki to lose his happiness just because he was stubborn.

"I will forbid her from visiting him anymore." she promised, wiping away the young woman's tears. "But you should go speak to him, after you've had some time to settle down."

"I will go see him as soon as I can..."

She would probably regret making that promise, but with all said and done she wanted to see him again so badly.

"I will tell the guards to let you into his cell; there should be no walls between you."

Somehow Kara was unable to shake the feeling that Frigga's last words held a double meaning, but still she nodded and finally the queen allowed her to retire. The rest of that day she spent in her room without any interruptions, apart from a short visit from Thor and Jane. At least Jane seemed genuinely happy about being there. After Thor had agreed to send a messenger to Midgard and let Fury know where she was, before the man kicked off an international manhunt for her, she had politely refused his invitation of seeing the royal gardens with him and Jane, claiming that she was too tired.

In truth, while she wanted to be alone for a while, she also wanted to let Jane enjoy his presence without a third wheel tagging along. What she had not anticipated, was the fact that she would get bored by herself and ultimately she was to be found wandering the hallways which, sadly, proved to be just as boring as her chambers.

It was upon turning a corner – as she ultimately gave in to her boredom and began searching for the gardens – that she collided with something so hard that at first she believed she had walked into a wall. Next thing she knew she was trying to pick herself up from the floor, although her focus was drawn to the sound of a worried male voice.

"Oh, goodness... pardon me, miss. Are you alright?"

Looking up she sighted a young man leaning over her, his hand extended to help her to her feet. At the sight of her face his lips suddenly curved into a charming smile beneath the blond mustache.

"Good heavens... what is a lovely Lady like you doing, walking around all alone?" he asked, pulling her to stand with no effort once she had grasped his hand.

"I was... looking for the gardens." Kara replied, somewhat shying away in the face of his flirty demeanor.

Offering her his arm, the warrior again smiled and the young woman found that she had forgotten about everything else for a moment.

"It would be my pleasure to escort such a view of beauty there."

"Thank you." she said rather awkwardly, taking his arm and allowing him to guide her along the corridors.

OoOoO

Stunning... that was the first word which came to her mind at the sight of the royal gardens stretching before her; a symphony of colorful flowers spreading a delicate fragrance, tall trees, ancient statues, ivy arches, fountains and gazebos. She really would have regretted not seeing them at all, although she did wish it had been Loki there with her, instead of her yet unnamed companion.

"So where are you from, if I am allowed to ask?" the young warrior questioned, as they now walked amidst the twilight basked garden. "I don't think I've seen you around here before."

"I'm... I'm from Midgard." she replied.

Arching a brow, the male again smiled in that utterly charming way that made Kara's blood race, and by now she already suspected who he was.

"Are you now? It's been a long time since I last visited, but I swear I do not recall seeing such beautiful maidens there. And may I have your name, my lovely Lady?"

"You may, if I may have yours in return."

"Oh, but of course." he chuckled, taking her hand and kissing it. "I am Fandral, milady."

"I thought so..." she replied humorously. "But what's fair is fair... I am Kara."

With Fandral watching her with a puzzled gaze, their focus was soon drawn to a female voice, its source approaching them along with a mountain of a man which Kara suspected to be Volstagg, given Loki's description.

"That is a strong name... usually heard among the Valkyrie."

"The Lady Sif and my good friend, Volstagg." Fandral smiled, gesturing to the two.

"At your service." Volstagg replied cheerfully, offering her a slight bow.

"Shouldn't there have been a third?" she asked.

"Hogun is spending some time with his own people, on Vanaheim." Sif said. "Thor spoke of you after he returned from Midgard last year... he said you're one of Midgard's best warriors."

"I guess I am the equivalent of what you would call a warrior." Kara replied shyly.

She'd never considered herself a warrior, but apparently not everyone shared her opinion.

"Perhaps the Lady would care to join us for dinner." Fandral suggested. "I would love to hear her tale of how they battled Loki."

Although her breath caught in her throat at that, the young woman ultimately had to agree when both Sif and Volstagg asked her to comply and delight them with her tales of war.

OoOoO

"Loki..."

The sound of that warm tone had the dark haired Æsir raise his gaze from where he had been staring at the floor, to sight Frigga outside his cell. Almost instantly he could see the stern shade on her expression melting into concern as she set her eyes onto him and saw the tears staining his pale cheeks. Ultimately heaving a sigh, the young male trailed a hand over his face to wipe away the salty drops and stood, approaching the queen.

"If you're here to scold me about Vanya, then go ahead..." he said.

He deserved it; he'd been careless and it had cost him dearly. But when the queen smiled lightly, he had to admit he was completely caught off guard.

"I came to tell you that I talked to Kara. She is a wonderful girl and I am happy to see that you chose well."

"Does it matter anymore?" he retorted.

"I knew my son to be more perceptive than this." she replied tentatively.

The sight of his jaw clenching and his lips tightening as he fought back fresh tears, brought another shade of concern to the woman's expression. Before she could say anything to ease his mind, however, one of the guards approached and bowed to her.

"Your Highness... the Allfather requests your presence in the throne room."

"Just go." Loki stated, turning his back to her as he felt his composure failing him.

Offering him a sorrowful glance, the queen now rushed out of the dungeons and minutes later she was entering the large hall where Odin was seated on his throne.

"I heard Thor brought another girl with him from Midgard... aside from the one I already saw."

"Yes, he did." Frigga replied. "I have spoken to her earlier."

Sighting the way his brow furrowed, the queen offered him a stern gaze, taking advantage of the fact that there were no guards around to hear her.

"She is his friend, Odin. They battled side by side on Midgard; I see nothing wrong with him bringing her here. She is a worthy warrior, despite being mortal."

In the face of her unyielding tone, the Allfather ultimately sighed.

"Very well... the other one might stay without a fuss, if she has one of her own with her."

Frowning in confusion, the queen now approached the throne and ascended the steps until she was at her husband's side.

"What do you mean?"

"Thor brought that one... that Jane Foster... because he thought she was ill. The Aether flows in her veins and I fear if anyone should find out. I will have to keep her here."

For a moment his shoulders dropped and he felt old... much too old to handle such things anymore. If only he could convince Thor to take the throne; the boy was ready beyond doubt... if only he could settle his heart and actually agree to become king.

OoOoO

"So, I guess that's about it... we managed to destroy the Chitauri ship in the end and close the portal."

With silence reigning in the room after her last statement – interrupted only by the fire crackling in the middle – as Sif and the two males watched her intently, practically drinking in her words, Kara was utterly startled when Thor's deep voice resounded around them.

"She's much too modest..." he smiled. "She failed to tell you that she was willing to give her life to save Midgard."

Stepping closer from where he had been listening in the doorway, the blond Æsir settled onto one of the couches there, next to the young female who now felt her cheeks burning under the admiring gazes of the others.

"Where's Jane?" she asked, trying to divert the subject from what she saw as a natural act, not some heroic deed.

"I left her in her chambers; she was tired and wanted to rest. Mother said she was delighted to meet you... she was very pleasantly surprised."

"She's a great woman..." Kara smiled fondly. "Actually she reminds me a bit of my own mother."

With a light smile, Thor then allowed his features to drift from humor.

"Have you seen him?"

"I did..." Kara replied, her own humor dying a swift death at that question. "It... didn't exactly go as I imagined it would."

"What do you mean?" the blond Æsir frowned.

Had his brother truly changed like that? Had imprisonment damaged him so much that he would turn even on Kara?

"There was a woman there, when I went to see him... your mother called her... Vanya, I think."

"Good heavens, she's here?" Fandral perked up.

"She arrived two days ago." Thor replied. "But... why was she seeing Loki?"

Shifting uncomfortably, Kara lowered her gaze to the warm flames dancing amidst the wood gathered in the fireplace.

"She... said that if Loki agrees to marry her, she'll ask her father to demand his release, and give him the throne of Alfheim."

"You must tell the Allfather about this, Thor." Sif now perked up. "If she convinces Loki..."

"I refuse to believe my brother would accept that." the blond Æsir replied.

"Thor you know how he is... he would accept anything that would get him out of prison."

"I'm afraid she's right." Fandral agreed. "He was a traitor once, he'll do it again."

"The little rascal would do anything to get away from his punishment." Volstagg retorted.

For a moment all Kara could do was stare at the trio in shock; these... these were the friends Loki had spoken so fondly of? These were the ones who had earned his praises and his respect?

"How dare you...?" she muttered shakily, feeling tears stinging her eyes.

With the three glancing to her, Fandral and Volstagg seemed to finally realize that something was amiss there, unlike Sif.

"Kara, you have no idea what Loki's capable of. Did you not see what he did on Midgard?"

"Sif..." Thor began, only to have his statement cut short when Kara suddenly moved to her feet.

"You, his friends? You are no more worthy of being called his friends, than a worm is worthy of being called a prince."

"Kara, we know Loki... we've known him for centuries. He's..."

"Don't try to patronize me, Sif!" she yelled, rendering the female warrior utterly silent. "You don't know anything about him! You have no idea how fondly he spoke to me of you... all of you. And here you talk so vilely of him..."

Ignoring Thor when the Æsir tried to speak in an attempt at subduing her anger, she offered the trio before her an utterly disgusted glance, once she had latched onto their minds only to be met with some of their memories. She had hoped that their words were only something fleeting; that they were just angry with him for his recent actions. But to be hit by the realization that they had never truly cared about him, made anger swell inside her to the point that she felt like all she wanted was to offer them the slowest and most painful death she could conjure.

"He believed you were his friends... he risked his life for you so many times. And for what? Just so you could all think him to be weird, because he favored intelligence over brawn? Because he wasn't like Thor? You're alive now, because of him... because he was smart enough to save you each time you were supposed to die! Because he cared about you enough to not save only his brother. He _cared_ about you... and it wasn't your skills or your strength that saved you on those occasions. It was him... it was _his_ intelligence and _his_ affinity for magic that let you live to see another day! And you all shunned him for it, like he was some sort of freak."

With tears finally overflowing along her cheeks, she exhaled a shaky breath and pulled her hand away from Thor's attempt to grasp it.

"Did you know he fancied you once?" she asked, looking to Sif.

In the face of the woman's stunned expression, she felt her lips curving into a sarcastic smile that actually reminded Sif of Loki himself.

"Of course not... why would you know? You were much too busy fawning over Thor all the time, to ever notice it. Do you know I was jealous of you, when he told me of that? Even if he always assured me that it was only a fleeting thing and that he no longer cares for you in such a way. But I _was_ jealous, because you were a goddess and I was a mere mortal... but I see now that you're no goddess. None of you are worthy to be called gods... none of you were ever worthy of my people's worship. You're no better than the power-hungry lowlifes on Earth!"

Once she stormed out of the room, Thor now lowered his head covering his face with his hands.

"Wonderful..." he muttered with a heavy sigh.

He had feared that it might come to this, but it still had awed him to see that extent of anger in her, and that icy hatred in her gaze.

"Where in Hel's name did that come from?" Fandral suddenly blurted out in shock.

Looking to his friends' stunned expressions, the blond Æsir once more sighed.

"Kara has been Loki's lover for many years now. And before that she was his friend since her childhood. I should have warned you to take care how you speak of him in front of her..."

"Well, I don't like it... but she might... she might be right..." Volstagg muttered, shifting awkwardly on his seat.

Even Thor himself had to admit that he was caught off guard by that; sure, he had never paid much attention to his brother's interactions with their friends, but... was Kara actually right to throw all that in their faces? Had they really cared only for him all that time and never for Loki? When Sif merely lowered her gaze in the face of his questioning expression, and Fandral glanced away uneasily, the blond Æsir again covered his face and sighed deeply.

"Oh, heavens..."

* * *

Sooo today's replies for my darlings :D

1. **SuperNaturalxxFreak** - Aww I'm so happy to hear you hate Vanya. She was made to be evil and to evoke hatred and anger in the readers and I'm glad to hear I managed to do just that.

Also I'm afraid you'll have a bit longer to wait to re-read that certain scene. But in the mean time I'll try to keep you occupied with future chapters for this story and for my other stories ;)

And no worries, darling, I couldn't think of a better beta reader than you; we'll definitely work together and fangirl together for a very long time :D

2. **iuwan** - Darling you have no idea how happy you make me. No worries about the length of the review, I love reading long reviews where my readers tell me what they enjoyed or what they didn't like about a chapter/story because that's what helps me improve. Having my mistakes pointed out in a respectful manner, just helps me re-evaluate my writing and improve it by trying to not repeat those mistakes in future works. So really, you can write a review as long as you wish, I don't mind reading it in the least.

As for Frigga, she is one of my most favorite characters from the _Thor_ franchise. She's the perfect image of how I imagine a queen should be; she's tough and relentless when she needs to be, but she's also warm and loving when she needs to be. She just seems like such a dignified woman with a backbone that you rarely see nowadays; she's really a model worth looking up to.

But I'm so happy the story got you so engaged and so excited. I hope it'll keep you that way until the very end. And no need to thank me for replying, darling. I enjoy replying to reviews just as much as I enjoy getting and reading them. It's my way of giving back a bit of the love that my readers pour onto this story, which has surpassed even my wildest expectations.

3. **MomentsInSilence **- Wow that's quite a heartfelt reaction, darling. I'm sorry and at the same time I'm glad that my writing has managed to evoke such strong feelings in you. But no worries, things will have to get better in the end, won't they? ;)

I hope you enjoyed this chapter and that I'll be hearing from you again soon :D

4. **Becka3490 **- Aww thank you so much, darling. It always humbles me immensely whenever one of my readers considers my story good enough to add it to their favorite/follow list, or to leave a review for it.

So thank you, darling, and I'm hoping to hear from you again soon :D

So these are my replies for today. Cheers, lovelies~ ( ˘ ³˘)❤


	30. Entry 29

Darlings I am so sorry I took so long to update. This week has been quite crappy (excuse the foul language). I've started classes for my last Master's year in college and already we're overrun with projects and essays. And on top of that I've had some trouble with a cavity that's been bothering me and I seem to have developed a slight infection under that molar, so that only added to my bad mood.

But at least re-watching _Thor_ 1 and 2 and _The Avengers_ yesterday in a marathon did help improve my mood and I'm back to writing, because currently it seems to be among the very few things that can distract me from the constant pain in my jaw. But enough ranting from me, just toss me a review and let me know what you think of this new chapter.

Enjoy lovelies~ ;)

P.S. Every _Thor/The Avengers/Thor: The Dark World_ character belongs to the wonderful Marvel. I own nothing, except my OCs :)

* * *

**Entry #29**

_When Sif merely lowered her gaze in the face of his questioning expression, and Fandral glanced away uneasily, the blond Æsir again covered his face and sighed deeply._

"_Oh, heavens..."_

oOo

_**Location: **__The Royal Palace, Asgard_

_**Date: **__September 16, 2013_

"Miss, are you alright?"

The sound of Tyra's concerned voice had the young woman raise her head from where she had buried it into the pillows of her bed to cry in peace. She hadn't even heard the maid enter the chambers, but she assumed it was only because she was so distraught.

"What's wrong, miss?" Tyra asked again, alarmed by the sight of tears on her face. "Why are you crying?"

Ultimately rising from the bed, Kara wiped away her tears with the back of her hand.

"I'm alright... listen, I need your help. I have to go see Loki again... and I don't want him to realize I've been crying."

Smiling, Tyra offered her a slight bow before grasping the young woman's hands.

"Not to worry, miss... I'll help you bathe again, it will relax you."

Half an hour later, Kara had to admit that whatever scented oils Tyra had added to her bath had been a blessing in disguise. She felt more relaxed than she had in a long time, despite the bud of anger still lingering in her chest.

"Are you feeling better, miss?" the young maid asked, walking into the bath chamber with a long piece of snowy linen to help her dry.

"Yes, thank you." she smiled.

"I've prepared a fresh dress for you. The other one was too dark and gloomy."

Once she had been dried of water, Kara followed the girl into the bedchamber, sighting a sleeveless crimson dress laid out on the white covers.

"It's beautiful, Tyra..." she muttered in awe, trailing her fingertips along the delicate golden pattern sewn into the silky material.

"I'll help you dress miss... then I'll brush your hair."

It was another half hour later that Kara was now standing from her seat, adjusting the crimson fingerless gloves which covered her forearms up to the elbows. Tyra had gathered her hair in a simple ponytail which hung loosely over her right shoulder, and her waist had been clasped in a simple silvery belt to outline her slender figure.

"I'm sure the prince will be delighted to see you again, miss."

Looking to the girl's innocent smile, Kara was unable to hold back a warm one of her own.

"Thank you." she said again, briefly grasping the maid's hand in hers.

"I'll go call a guard and have him take you to the dungeons."

Once she had left the chambers, Kara now took a deep breath and soon she was pacing around, unable to sit still. She was nervous again, about seeing him... while she knew that Frigga would forbid the she-Elf to visit him, there was no guarantee that the woman would actually heed that warning. She didn't really seem like someone who did a good job of following orders.

And Loki... she felt awful now – after seeing just what his _friends_ thought of him – because she felt as if she had acted just like them. It brought tears to her eyes and left such a bitter taste in her mouth to recall that heart shattering tone in his voice when he had called after her. She had to go see him... to let him know that no matter what she had said earlier, she still loved him and would still love him from then on.

OoOoO

Sighting the guard approaching his cell with a female figure he suspected to be Vanya, the dark haired Æsir furrowed his slender brows.

"I desire no visitors." he said, before the guard had even had time to speak.

"Oh, I believe you do."

The voice coming from the shadows beneath the grey hood stunned him, and though he parted his lips to speak he could find no words. His body actually jolted in surprise when the guard opened the cell to let the young woman step inside, before setting the force field back in its place and leaving them alone. The sight of her face when she pushed the hood off had his gaze briefly betray the mixture of feelings swirling inside him.

"Why are you here?" he finally asked, on a harsher tone than he'd intended.

"You know why..." Kara replied, apparently unimpressed by that note in his voice.

Momentarily he narrowed his eyes at her and clasped his hands at the back of his waist.

"Do I?"

Inwardly he cursed his stubbornness; why in Hel's name was he acting all offended, when all he wanted was to hold her and kiss her until they were both out of breath? When she narrowed her eyes at him in response to his question, he felt a cold shiver rolling along his spine, in fear of what she might say.

"You were actually considering her offer, weren't you?"

Tightening his lips, he clenched his jaw... damn, she hadn't disappointed; she had said exactly the very last thing he wanted to discuss. And it seemed she had interpreted his silence in the worst way possible, when he saw that particular shade of pained sorrow taking over her expression and heard her next question.

"Do you not love me?"

The words in themselves actually left his mind in shock; how? How could she ask that? Had he not made it so painfully obvious by now? Had he not said it? Or... did she believe he had been lying?

"Do you not love me?!" she asked again, her voice bordering on a scream, tears sparkling in her eyes at his prolonged silence.

"Do you not trust me?" he asked in reply once he had recovered his voice, slightly narrowing his eyes.

Though at first she blinked in surprise, thoroughly taken aback by his question, the young woman soon found herself taking a step backwards, when he stepped forward; that... that odd spark in his eyes was something she had never before seen. And in all honesty it frightened her to some extent, precisely because she had no idea how to react; because she had no idea what he was thinking... she was much too shaken up to properly concentrate in order to latch onto his mind, and for once she truly felt like a regular woman – a realization which scared her, in the face of that ominous vibe he was giving off as he took a step toward her... then another... and another... until she felt the wall of his cell against her back and for a moment understood how an animal must have felt when cornered by a predator.

"Do you not trust me?" he asked again, slamming his hands against the wall at either side of her head, making her jolt in surprise whilst a pathetically weak mewl left her lips.

He knew he was scaring her; it was much too easy to see, but he needed to _hear_ her answer even if he had already read it in her gaze when he'd first set that inquiry.

"Of course I do..." she finally replied, her voice slightly trembling along with the rest of her body, despite her attempt to control her expression and not show her fear.

"Then why would you ask that? Was it not enough to hear me say it? Did I not show it to you so many times before that?" he growled.

At the last words he finally saw her fear fading away, engulfed by the anger he could sight flooding her gaze as her brows furrowed.

"Still, you _were_ considering her offer..." she retorted. "I could see it on your face."

Her eyes widened right as she stated the final word, as she felt his hand latching onto her face, his fingers digging into her cheeks to the point where she could feel the sensitive flesh protesting with faint pangs of pain. Her heart again picked up the pace as her mind was forced to recall that he wasn't some ordinary guy she could toy with... no, he _could_ kill her without the slightest effort and she was privileged that he hadn't done so until that point.

"Yes, I was..." he spat out. "I was considering it for your sake, you foolish girl... I have no qualms with using her to get out of this cell."

Narrowing his eyes at the thoughts he could now tell had crossed her mind, he ultimately huffed in amusement despite the lack of a smile on his lips.

"Oh, I know... I know of her use for magic. Did you think I wasn't aware of it? Or that I believed for one second she actually loves me? No, what she loves is my body... not me."

"Then why...?"

"Because I had no other way to leave this place... to see you again…"

Only the sight of her tears seemed to subdue him to some extent; while his gaze kept that spark of anger, his hand did move away from her face and to the side of her neck where he trailed his fingers over the small multicolored mark he had left on her.

"Then do you love me... or no?"

Her question caught him off guard, and upon locking gazes with her again he now understood that she didn't doubt the truth of his words... no, what she actually wanted was to _hear_ him say it.

"No..." he retorted, simply out of a morbid curiosity to see her reaction.

Indeed, she did not disappoint; her brows furrowed and her eyes widened in a sort of shocked anger, and then she slapped his hand away and tried to walk past him, only to have him grasp her arm and push her back against the wall, trapping her between his arms once more.

"No words are worthy enough to describe how much I love you." he now said, his lips curving into that amused smile she knew too well.

The flurry of emotions that blossomed on her face almost had him chuckle; it was such an unexpectedly wide range of feelings... from relief to joy and ultimately to annoyance as she understood he had been jesting in his first reply. What caught him off guard, however, was her hand colliding with his cheek and turning his head.

"That's not funny, you jerk..." she stated, trying her best to sound angry but ultimately failing to completely hold back a smile.

She wanted to... heaven knew how much she wanted to actually be angry with him, but to hear him say that he loved her had rendered her unable to muster enough annoyance for such a feat. When he smiled in amusement and set his eyes upon her again, her humor died out and she believed that the smoldering desire she could make out in his gaze, hidden beneath that playful spark of mischief, would make her melt into an embarrassing puddle of mush.

"Such passion, dearest..." he retorted humorously.

In the very instant when she parted her lips to speak, her eyes again widened as she felt him swiftly untying her hair and grabbing a fistful of the silky locks before he tugged on them until she was forced to tilt her head back. She had been about to ask him what he was doing, but his lips came crashing upon hers with such unbridled and ardent desire that her mind instantly emptied of thought, left in a pleasant sort of drunken stupor.

Upon leaning back and sighting that dazed expression, the green eyed Æsir ultimately grinned. Oh, if only she knew how that particular look on her face ignited the flames of lust within him. But lust was a feeling best shown, not spoken... and show her he would.

"I wonder... if I still remember how to please you." he whispered tauntingly, trailing his lips along her ear.

"But..."

Her feeble attempt to protest was met with that amused huff of his that always sent a pleasant shiver rolling down her spine.

"What guards? Did you not enter my cell _knowing_ that there would be no guards around?"

Leaning back to look into her eyes again, the dark haired Æsir now smiled in that particularly devious way that Kara remembered sighting only once... in a hotel room, what seemed like an eternity ago.

"Such a foolish lamb, to walk into the lion's den of her own will..." he stated while trailing his thumb over her lips, his tone now taking on that half-whispered, velvety note which always made her melt before him.

Again sliding his hand along her neck, he brushed his fingertips over her collar bone after unclasping her cloak and letting it fall to the floor, feeling her body's fleeting shudder beneath his touch.

"I will take such pleasure in devouring you, dearest... and you will enjoy every moment of it."

Even as he spoke, she could feel him leaning forward until her body was thoroughly trapped between the hard wall behind her and his granite-like torso in front of her. It actually brought that familiar warmth to her cheeks when she felt her breasts lightly rubbing against his moss green tunic each time she breathed. And now that he was so close, she could bask in that faint fragrance he always seemed to give off; a refreshing, pleasant mixture of mint and lime.

Her thoughts came to an abrupt halt when he again grabbed a fistful of her silky hair and claimed her lips for an assertive kiss, his tongue invading her mouth and allowing him to relish in that sweet taste he had so missed since his return from Midgard. He heard her sharp intake of air at the suddenness of it all and he delighted in the feeling of her chest so tightly pressed against his that he could feel her heart pounding. At the same time his logical mind began to slip from his grasp for once, giving way to his body's desire, and he leaned back from her while abandoning her hair in favor of sliding his hands along her shoulders.

His lips curved into a sly smile whilst their tongues danced together, when he felt her hands blindly reaching to his waist in her frantic desire to remove the sash holding his tunic around his torso. In the very same moment when she was met with success, he pushed the straps of her dress down along her arms, the motion exposing her chest to him. What actually caught him off guard was the feeling of her arms latching around his waist and pulling him against her, letting him feel her breasts pressing against his now bare skin. Very well... if she wanted to feel the full weight of his restrained desire who was he to refuse her?

Her startled mewl – when he reached down with both hands to grasp her firm backside through the thin dress – actually sent a momentary rush of pleasure through him and ignited his need to hear her moaning his name again on that lustful tone, as she had such a long time ago. He did have to wonder... had she chosen that flimsy attire precisely to steer him in such a direction? If she had, then she was certainly full of surprises and he would take such pleasure in learning all of them. With that in mind he slid his hands down along the back of her thighs before abruptly lifting her off her feet and setting her legs around his waist... although that dress was bothersome; he would have to remove it soon enough.

Leaning back and breaking the kiss in surprise, Kara now found herself staring into those hypnotic emeralds set beneath his dark brows and her breath hitched when her mind again registered the feeling of his hands on her rump. For a moment she didn't even know how to react, although the sight of him inclining his head forward until his lips trailed in between her breasts set her face – and her groin – on fire.

"You smell delicious, dearest..." he retorted tauntingly before placing a kiss right beneath her collar bone.

"You're still a jerk..."

Unable to fully withhold a smile as she stated that, Kara now watched as he offered her that utterly amused smirk; she wouldn't deny it that all she wanted was to tear every piece of clothing on his body to shreds and have him sate her hunger for him.

"Is that so, dearest?" he asked, his sly smile telling her that he had caught on to those thoughts of hers. "Then should I remove these bothersome clothes?"

For a second he was actually taken aback by the thoroughly feral spark in her gaze, and the next thing he knew she clasped his face in her hands and crashed her lips against his. Allowing himself to delve into that kiss, he was unable to hold back another smile when her teeth lightly tightened onto his lower lip, right before her tongue tauntingly sought out his. It was only when he felt her legs locking around his waist that he seemingly returned from that blissful place he had been slipping into, his hands giving her rump a teasing squeeze... damn, he loved the feeling of those firm curves; her body was so unlike those of the women he had previously bedded.

"Let me down and take these off already..." she whispered against his lips, while he relished in the sound of her subtle panting.

Instead of complying, however, he merely shifted to support her weight with just one arm – aided in that by the wall he was currently pinning her against – freeing one hand with which he reached in between them and hooked his fingers into her dress. Her demanding tone actually amused him... not even Vanya had dared to order him around like that, but he definitely enjoyed that brave streak which Kara so rarely showed him. If she wanted to subdue him, he would definitely play along but that didn't mean he would make it easy on her. With that in mind he pulled his arm back along with the flimsy material which tore along her stomach at the forceful tug, while his lips again betrayed that taunting, mischievous smile.

"Shall we play a game, love?"

* * *

Sooo today's replies for my darlings :D

1. **SuperNaturalxxFreak** - Haha I'm glad to hear that you liked Vanya so much even if you hate her at the same time. That's really what I was aiming for with her, even if she is underused in this story... but she'll have her moment of glory in the sequel so everyone who liked her will likely be more satisfied when I finally start working on that second part.

And you don't have much left to wait to re-read that particular scene... just till next chapter ;)

Aww and I'm super happy we got to meet as well. I rarely get to connect with other writers on this website, but I'm really glad I decided to reply to that review you sent me for _Quadrille_ and that we started talking, darling :D

2. **iuwan** - Honey you have no idea how much I enjoy reading your reviews. I sincerely don't mind at all that they're long, because I enjoy knowing what my readers think of my work. You can make them as long or as short as you want, I'll still read them and I'll still love them :D

But on to your review. Wow that's actually a pretty interesting image you got there with Loki and Vanya. Kind of reminds me of _YuYu Hakusho_ and what Kurama did in the last episodes (because yes, I'm also an anime fan not just a Loki/Tom fan ;D)

Also you can sing odes about Frigga anytime you like. I love her as a character and Rene Russo was the perfect choice to portray her with her three "masks": queen, wife and mother. And her chemistry with Tom in the scenes they had together was just... perfect. There's no other way to describe it, they literally gave me the feeling that they were mother and son. Which is great, because not every pair of actors manages to instill that in me. And I'm so glad you liked the description I had her give of Loki... in truth I wasn't really thinking too deeply when I had Frigga say that. I just gathered from the movies and the deleted scenes that she would likely see him in that way.

Haha if Fandral actually made a move on her, that would have been interesting to see; especially since Loki can read her mind and she would have had quite a hard time explaining that to him. As for Kara's powers, well I have an idea that I might add later on. After I'm done writing the chapters for _The Dark World_ I still have a lot of extra chapters planned before the story actually ends. So I might do a little digging around in Kara's family tree (but her parents were both humans, sadly).

Aww I'm so glad to hear you liked Thor too. I'm not a huge fan of him but I do admit that he and Loki have perfect chemistry together... it's REALLY hard to believe that they're not actually brothers. But still I did try to make him more pleasant in the story, because he's a great character even if he is a "stupid oaf" compared to Loki. I was actually aiming for a brother-sister relationship between him and Kara but sadly they didn't get too many moments together. I might try to remedy that in future chapters.

But I really hope you enjoy this chapter as well and that you won't be too angry about the cliffhanger ending. I couldn't help myself... I just had to be like Loki and end things just when they were getting good. And really, darling, I don't mind long reviews at all so feel free to say everything you want to say, no matter how much space it takes... I promise I'll read and enjoy it :D

So these are my replies for today. Cheers, lovelies~ ( ˘ ³˘)❤


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